City of Wayne
by Caedi.Tarian
Summary: Down the proverbial rabbit hole, the world is darker, older... To put things right, the team must be reunited -in whatever form- and the madness quelled in a city ruled by the house of Wayne.
1. Into the Drink

**City of Wayne**  
><strong>Rating:<strong> T  
><strong>Info:<strong> Silly stuff. AU starting in the second section of this chapter. Various pairings. Also, I'll keep the in-story science babble very brief and simple because I know not everyone enjoys it as much as I do.  
>-Anechoic chambers are really nifty dead rooms (sound waves are absorbed into the walls). We have one of these at work, which spawned the idea for this story.<br>-Faraday cages block electrical fields.  
>-Psionic shields don't exist and hopefully you know this.<br>**Warnings:** Nothing major for now, but it earns its T rating.  
><strong>Disclaimers:<strong> This is fanfiction. Obviously.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter One: Into the Drink<strong>

"Is this supposed to be a joke?"

Wally was the first of the boys to react to Artemis' snarled comment, answering her with only a short laugh. "Whoa. Seriously. No one told you to dress up."

The blond archer glared from the entrance of the anechoic chamber. If looks could kill, the metal mesh floor would have melted beneath the team's feet. "No one told me 'telepathy and concentration' exercises would require training attire."

"It was my fault," Megan said as she floated into the room, her heels mere inches from the wire floor. She smiled apologetically at Artemis. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have suggested you wear those shoes to practice."

Artemis kicked off her strappy, heeled shoes before gingerly stepping onto the mesh. "No, it's fine."

As Megan closed the large door behind Artemis, Robin hummed in thought. "What are we doing here, Kaldur? Couldn't we do this back at the mountain?"

"Dude, Rob, you actually sound like a guy when there's no reverb."

"We are here," Kaldur said sharply, running over any comment Robin inevitably would have made, "because we needed a place to practice without outside interference. With so many telepathic villains on the loose, we cannot afford another mishap like the one on our last mission. Do not forget how easily they were able to track Megan's telepathic network. This is the safest place to practice with the connection while they are still out there searching for us."

Wally was at once skeptical, his gaze sweeping over the gaudy foam walls. "I don't think sound-proof walls and a Faraday cage are going to do much in keeping psychics out. Heck, even Megan can still talk to someone across the city if she wants to."

As if expecting that sort of argument from Wally, the Atlantean motioned to the ceiling. "True, but Batman said that this room was built with a psionic shield woven into the frame. Red Tornado has begun to work on replicating a shield for the mountain, but we will practice here for the time being. The school was kind enough to grant our request to borrow the chamber."

"Young Justice headquarters site B. _Bl__üdhaven__ University_. Catchy." Robin then plopped onto the mesh with a grin. "So, what do we do?

"Better be good," Wally muttered.

Kaldur frowned in the general direction of Wally and Robin. "There will be no more talking aloud for the rest of the exercise. Think you can handle that? Link us up, M'gann."

"Right." Megan settled onto the mesh Indian style and expanded the mental connection to the other teenagers. _"Okay. Now, we're going to practice thinking about nothing. A clear mind is one step closer to becoming a strong mind. If you can sort and set aside your thoughts, you can begin working on protecting them from intruders."_

"_Good_." Superboy scowled, obviously still sore over the events of the last mission.

After thirty minutes of showing the others how to properly clear the mind, Megan instructed the team on familiarizing themselves with the minds of the other team members. It was difficult at first, as not a one could instantly recognize any of the others unless they spoke over the telepathic connection. Kaldur emphasized the importance of recognizing the faint presence of the others while they were linked and knowing how to distinguish each other from a less friendly entity.

It wouldn't be easy. Wally continually complained that Artemis was being mentally obnoxious, and the two were at each other's throats more often than they weren't. It was enough of a distraction that neither one of them made any progress, though, in the end, none of the others did much better.

This was going to take a lot of work.

"_If we keep practicing, hopefully one day you will all be able to shield your thoughts from outsiders while we keep the connection open within the team._" Megan smiled fondly as she heard a collective groan through the link. A _lot_ of work. "_I think we all need a break now_."

"Oh, thank you. I couldn't take any more of that," Wally groaned as the telepathic connection was severed. "Besides, it's getting creepy in here. I swear, my skin is crawling. Let's get out. Now."

"This was productive for a first attempt," Kaldur said, though his grin of encouragement was somewhat forced. He nodded for Megan to open the door. "Meditate every day. Clear your mind. M'gann will be able to tell if you have practiced or not."

Superboy gave a light snort. "Whatever. Let's just get out of here. My skin isn't crawling, but it feels like the walls are closing in."

Robin paused as the others began filing out of the chamber, easily blocking out a new wave of banter from Wally and Artemis. The hair on the back of his neck bristled suddenly, and he shuddered.

"This place is eerie. I would not mind if we did not come back," Kaldur commented, giving the chamber a swift glance before stepping through the door.

"Eerie", sure, but this was different than simply "eerie". Something was off, and it wasn't because of the chamber. Robin tilted his head back, examining the ceiling as a chill ran down his spine. "I think…"

"Hey, Rob, think fast!"

Just as Robin, startled, turned his attention to the entrance, he managed to see Wally pull the door closed, leaving him… "Hey, weak, man! Let me out! There…"

It was _cold_. The unnatural silence again roared in his ears, and he could practically feel the weight of it this time. After a moment, he realized that it wasn't the lack of sound itself, but that the pressure was certainly changing. Dropping, in fact, and…

"Wally, open the…" The corners of his vision were darkening, and good God his head was aching. Robin tugged at the long door handle, but it wouldn't budge. "There…"

The world tilted violently to the right, but he couldn't muster the effort to break his own fall. Before he could register the cool touch of the metal mesh against his skin, the world went dark.

::…::

"See? I told you he was fine."

That voice… It was male, deep, but still rather young. Dick didn't recognize it, and he couldn't decide whether the flippant tone was malicious or simply apathetic.

"I didn't doubt it. Now put that out before a professor walks by and throws us out."

For some reason that voice was vaguely familiar, but he could not quite place it.

"Make me."

"Jason."

What. Dick cracked open one eye to immediately see a young man kneeling beside him. The guy was currently looking over his shoulder to a slightly younger boy who was sitting on a counter, a lit cigarette in hand. They both had dark hair and their clothes were not of the inexpensive sort, but they did not resemble each other enough to be related. Though, from their tone of voice, Dick didn't think they were close friends, either.

The older teenager turned his attention back to the dazed thirteen-year-old and offered an amiable grin. His eyes were a very distinct shade of blue that immediately set off warning bells in Dick's mind. "Hey, you're awake. How you feeling?"

Dick sat up in an instant, bringing a hand to his cheekbone. _Where are my glasses? I know I had them before!_ Noting the concern on the stranger's face, he attempted a weak smile. "Oh, I'm fine, I think. I was in the dead room with my research partners earlier, and…" What _had_ happened? And, better yet, where was the rest of the team? They couldn't have just left him there! Or here, wherever here was. The tiles of the floor matched those of the university's physics labs, so he was at least in the same building. "I think I might have dozed off," he finished lamely, still trying to piece the earlier events together.

The boy on the counter –that one must be Jason- snorted as he twisted about to search through the cabinets on the wall. "Geeky friends didn't bother to tell you they were leaving, huh?"

"Ignore him. He's just sore 'cause a girl turned him down before he even asked." The blue-eyed guy grinned sardonically even as he easily dodged a box of latex gloves Jason tossed. "So." He got to his feet and extended a hand for Dick, who took it. "What should we call you?"

Dick ignored the sharp pang of vertigo as he was hoisted to his feet. Great. He was here as Robin with the rest of the team, but his sunglasses were nowhere to be seen. If the other members of Young Justice were still hanging about, running into them would cause problems, especially if these two knew his real name. "Fr-"

"Oh, seriously? He's about to say 'Freddie', isn't he?" Jason, having lost interest in the supplies in the cabinets, jumped to his feet and stalked toward Dick. His glare then shifted to his companion. "Let's just chuck him back and see what happens."

Though Jason was the taller of the two, the other teenager drew himself up with a stern glare of his own, refusing to be intimidated. But, he didn't bother to answer Jason. Instead, he looked back to Dick, though this time he didn't smile.

_Well_. Honestly, he hadn't been going to say "Freddie" at all, and he couldn't figure out why Jason was so sure that he would have. And, despite the apparent friendliness of the other guy, Dick knew there was something off about him. It was partly because he had a feeling that he had met this person before… But, there was a terrifying thought in the back of his mind that said he knew perfectly well who it was.

"Well, we can't just call him by his real name, can we?"

"We don't have to call him anything. We should get rid of him. Put things right."

Maybe he should just use his real name. The only problem with that was that he wasn't quite wearing the proper attire for the ward of a billionaire, and they probably wouldn't believe him. Unless… Dick met the currently nameless teenager's gaze, sincerely hoping that it would silence that awful voice in his mind.

It didn't.

"Woah." Dick's eyes widened and he took a step away from the duo. "You're…" _How ridiculous would that sound? I can't say that!_ "You're, uh… Richard Grayson," he managed, his words turning flat as he realized just what he was saying.

"Richard Grayson _Wayne_. And so are you."

Jason leaned heavily on Richard's shoulder, watching the younger Dick's thoughtful reaction with disinterest. "Oh, the confusion and disbelief. It got old after the second time around, RJ. No sense in keeping him. He won't make it very long, anyway."

As the two began to argue, Dick turned away, attempting to tune them out. _Right. No aster here. This has gotta be the future or another dimension or something else like that. Something happened back in the dead room… Ha. Right, just stay calm. This is __not__ the strangest thing I've seen before. _

"Guess he wouldn't respond to Dick."

At the sound of his name, Dick snapped out of his reverie. "What?"

In an instant, Jason's eyes went wide and he gave Richard's shoulder a shove. "Dude, he answered." For the first time, his lips curled into a smile, though it was more malicious than friendly. "So somewhere in some universe you really _did_ use that nickname."

Who the hell was _Jason_. Dick could recall that there were universes where practically anything could happen, but seeing this callous person hanging over, well, _himself_ was unsettling. _I need to get back. Do the others even know I'm gone? These guys are acting like this kind of thing happens all the time!_ But… "Do you know how to send me back?"

The two older teenagers exchanged a look.

"About that…"

"There is no way back." Jason vaguely waved his hand in a circle, taking more interest in a loose thread on his sleeve than Dick himself. "You can go through the rift again, but it will just toss you to the next dimension on down the line. You'll spend your whole life jumping through that damn hole in time and space, but you'll never get back home."

Rift. _Is that like a weak spot between dimensions or something? Well, maybe I can-_

Jason flicked him on the forehead, dark blue eyes narrowed in agitation. "You're not the first person to fall here. Not even close. You're not any different than they were." Before Dick could even attempt to reply, Jason turned and headed for the door. "Don't get too attached, RJ. He'll be back here in a week, two tops. See ya this evening."

"You're already half an hour late! Hurry up!"

Though they had easily heard Jason hit the hallway at a run once he left the room, the two could hear a faint response of "shut up" to the command.

"Jason Todd Wayne. Charming, isn't he?" Richard caught Dick's attempt to hide a grimace and laughed. "He has a mouth on him, but he's harmless. Now, let's get you to Gotham. While you're here, might as well settle in as best you can."

::…::

Blüdhaven had turned out to be surprisingly brighter and busier than it was in his dimension, a change that Dick had to admit that he did not mind. However, the streets of Gotham looked mostly the same, though occasionally there was an unfamiliar building or company name_._ Dick pressed his hand against the car window with a sigh. It would be less creepy if he couldn't recognize the city. Even the silver school crest of Gotham Academy on the graduation tassle looped around the rearview mirror was almost exactly the same as he remembered. "So, I'm stuck here."

From the driver's seat, Dick's older counterpart echoed his sigh. "Well, technically not. Like Jason mentioned, you're not the first person to fall into our dimension from another using the lab's rift. Several of the other people who fell through had actually been to many other dimensions in an attempt to get home before winding up here. That's how we realized that trying to go back the way you came doesn't actually work." Richard narrowed his eyes. "We allow anyone to stay who wants to, but in the end they all end up going back to the rift. Something drew them there. Something none of them could ignore."

If he went back to that place, to the dimensional "rift", who knew how different the world on the other side could be from the one in this dimension or his own. The citizens of Gotham might not be as willing to help in one of those other places… If Gotham even existed there to begin with. Dick squashed the urge to bang his forehead on the window. "Well, thanks for letting me stay with you until I can find a way to get back."

"No problem. Besides, if anyone can find a way, it'll be you." Richard offered a wide grin.

Oh, great. Indirect self-flattery. _I don't think I'll ever get used to this guy. He's me. Feels fishy. Fishful. Just full of fish in general_. Besides, Richard was a student at Blüdhaven University. Ha! Bruce would scoff at the mere thought of that. Then again, who knew what Bruce was like here. He probably wasn't even Batman.

"Normally we let dimensional stragglers have an apartment, but since you're a little young for that you get the star treatment. Besides, Bruce won't mind having another kid running around. It won't be any more chaotic than usual."

"Are you really that much trouble?"

"_I'm_ not. Jason and Damian? Yes. Then one of them starts bothering Tim and the whole place goes to hell. I swear, I don't know how Cassandra can put up with them."

Who were all these people? Bruce didn't bring kids home like stay animals. This did sort of explain why Jason had been hanging about at the university despite being a high school student, though. If this Bruce _were_ Batman –or some variant of such- then of course he would keep tabs on things like 'dimensional rifts'. "Oh. It's just me back home."

Just as those words left his mouth, the mansion pulled into view and Dick glared. It didn't look any different than it did back home. If he weren't currently in a car with an older version of himself he wouldn't be able to believe that he was in another dimension.

Richard was laughing. "You might be in for a little surprise, then, even if Jason isn't here to make the insanity complete. Thank God for Thursday soccer practice!"

Suddenly, a dark-haired kid ran onto the mansion drive, planting himself in the car's path.

The car brakes were engaged so quickly that Dick didn't have time to comprehend the kid's suicidal act before his forehead smacked into the dashboard. _Jeez, what kind of reflexes does this guy have?_ he thought, gingerly prodding at his forehead. He glanced up to see Richard hanging out of the car window.

"Damian, what the hell are you doing? I almost ran you over!"

"Yeah, right!" the kid screeched back, hand firmly planted on his hips. "You couldn't hit me if you tried!"

Richard set the transmission to park and tossed Dick a glare. "The terrible tens. Worse than the twos ever could be."

He hadn't heard. Not really. As soon as his vision cleared, Dick gave the kid a second glance. Damian had dark hair, what looked to be blue eyes, and just a faintly familiar look to him in general._ Right. Better find a way back home soon. This is too weird_. And where did Richard go?

"Damian, get back here!" Another boy, possibly about Dick's own age, suddenly tackled Damian and locked the younger kid's arms behind his back. Richard was quickly on his way toward the pair. "Give it back!"

A tap on the glass made Dick jump, and he turned to see a distinctly Asian-looking girl standing by the car. Was that…? Richard had mentioned a girl's name earlier. Cassandra. When she backed away, Dick slowly opened the door and hopped out. "Hi."

Instead of responding, the girl tilted her head to the side, eyes narrowing. It was almost as if she were attempting to see straight through him with those brown eyes. Maybe that was exactly what she was doing. It wouldn't be the strangest thing he had seen before.

Dick took a step back as Damian suddenly streaked by, the other boy hot on his heels. The younger one held something tightly to his chest. When Richard pulled to a stop at Cassandra's side, Dick shifted heavily to his left foot. Then to the right. Then back again. "So… What was that?"

"Damian," Richard said simply. He watched the two boys with what was probably supposed to be consternation, but it wound up just looking fond. "I couldn't get a word out of Tim, though. Cass?"

The girl's reply was a complicated hand motion that held no meaning so far as Dick was concerned. But, it must have meant something to Richard because the older teenager suddenly sighed heavily. "That doesn't sound too good. What's wrong?"

"It's nothing."

Before Dick could say anything to the contrary, _it_ glided into his peripheral vision. _It's heading for…_ He leaped forward and grabbed the small, disc-like object before it collided with Cass. "Dude, that was way clo-"

_Wait_. It was no disc. It was a batarang. Well, it was slightly different than the sort Batman used, but there was no hiding it. And it had come from…

"_Damian_, stop throwing those around! You could have hit that kid" The other young teenager –Tim, right?- had Damian's wrist in a vice and was dragging him toward Richard. Tim released Damian when they were close before turning his attention to Dick. "Whoa. Hey, he looks kinda like…"

Cass finished Tim's thought by poking Richard in the chest.

_Well, at least I'm not the only one at least a little bothered by the fact there are two of us_. Dick extended his hand with the batarang, guessing that it might be the item Damian had taken from Tim. _Also, this means Bruce is still Batman. Which means he still has connections with the other superheroes. Yeah, I'm totally gonna find a way home_.

Tim took the batarang, still silently examining the newcomer. Just like Richard, Jason, Damian, and Dick himself, Tim had bright, blue eyes.

"I think we have to kill him now," Damian said.

Dick grinned. "Why's that?"

"He caught the batarang," Tim muttered, nudging Damian's arm. "He came through the rift, didn't he, Richard?" After receiving a nod of affirmation, Tim pursed his lips. "So, if he's like Richard, then maybe he's…"

Damian snapped the hood of his sweatshirt over his head, the lip falling to obscure the top half of his face. "Psh. _Pansy_." The boy then matched Dick's grin.

Cass put a hand on Damian's shoulder, but Dick shook his head at her. "No, let him try if he wants." Besides, it would help to prove whether they had proper training or not. It was not as if this little kid could- _Whoa!_ Dick stepped aside as Damian lunged at him, instantly berating himself for thinking to underestimate a potential pupil of Batman's so easily.

That single motion was enough to wipe the grin off Damian's face, at least. The kid twisted about and lashed out, though he definitely had something in his hand this time…

_Not often that I'm the taller one in a fight!_ Dick easily caught Damian's wrist with his left hand –that was another batarang in his grasp- and tugged the kid closer, latching the other arm behind Damian's back with his right hand in a matter of moments. Before the kid could come up with a clever way to escape the hold, Dick pushed Damian toward Richard.

"I'm a pretty tough pansy."

Richard grabbed Damian's collar just as the ten-year-old attempted to lunge after Dick again, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "You're pretty quick."

"Bright, too. Bright enough to know a batarang when I see one and that any ten-year-old who knows how to use one so well isn't just the ward of the resident billionaire." And if that was just Damian, what about the older kids?

"See? He knows! He'll tell everyone!"

And Damian himself was oh so eager to confirm his suspicions, it seemed.

A single look from Richard silenced Damian, and the eldest of the Wayne kids squared his gaze to Dick. That was an expression Dick knew all too well. It was beyond the time to try and cover it up with an offhand comment now, and that meant Richard was walking on eggshells. "What are you implying?"

Really? Richard had reflexes that would put even many metas to shame, Tim had known the proper way to restrain Damian earlier (even if the scamp had found a way to escape), and, worst of all, Damian was proficient with a _batarang_. How painfully more obvious could it be?

Cass motioned at Richard, her gaze level and calm.

There was a moment of hesitation, not that Dick blamed his older counterpart. When Batman swore one to secrecy, that included keeping secrets from yourself… if said self comes from another dimension, that is. "It's the same where I'm from. I know who Bruce is."

Tim tried to cover a throaty laugh. "_Bruce_? Does everyone call their dads by their names where you're from?"

What. Dick looked to Richard, recalling exactly what the older teenager had called himself. "Grayson Wayne". But, that didn't mean… "You're all his _kids_?" Dick shook his head, reassuring himself once again that this was simply another dimension… It would mean nothing once he returned to his own. "I'm not related to Bruce, he's just my guardian. I'm the only one there." _So far_.

"He adopted us, so legally he's our father," Richard said, absently ruffling the youngest Wayne boy's hair. "Well, except for Damian, of course. Bruce really is his dad."

"I'm the frickin' Batkid," Damian whispered, raising his arms with curled, claw-like fingers.

Bruce had a _kid_. And… here, Richard Grayson had allowed Bruce Wayne to actually adopt him. _I didn't want a "new" dad_. Dick looked to Richard as if seeing him for the first time. _How is he different than I am?_ And what else did that difference make, besides the line between "ward" and "adopted son"?

"Richard, is he actually staying with us? Really? Awesome, he can share my room." Tim clapped a hand on Dick's arm, a crooked grin forming. "Come on, I'll show you the place."

::…::

As soon as they were several rooms into the mansion, Tim slowed his pace, silent but obviously deep in thought. Of the Wayne kids, Dick guessed that Tim was the closest to him in age. Despite that, there was something in his eyes that made him feel older, a keen sense of command and calculation that Dick had never seen before in a kid. It was interesting.

"Jason wasn't at school for lunch today. Usually when he runs off he goes to bother Richard." Tim rolled his eyes, turning down a hall that Dick had never had much interest in. "Richard checks the rift every day in case someone falls through, so I'm gonna bet Jason was there, too."

"Yeah, he was there."

"Man, I am so sorry." And he had to be sincere or he was the best liar Dick had ever encountered. "What a first impression of our dimension."

Hm. Well, maybe they were not the closest family in every way. Dick peeked into one of the passing rooms, half expecting the deserted, skeletal sort of room he was used to. Instead, it looked quite lived in, with unfolded blankets thrown across a love seat and an open book on the coffee table. Huh. "Nah, it's been all right. Jason is all right, too. Just a little-"

"Trollish."

"I was going to say blunt."

"Eh. Uptight."

Dick grinned. "Can't blame him for that one. I don't think anyone knows how to be 'downtight'."

Tim conceded with a shrug, but he wasn't too impressed. "You'll understand once you've been around him long enough." Suddenly, he stopped at a closed door, his expression brightening once more. "You, my friend, are about to enter a totally awesome place. This… is the bird's nest."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:<strong>  
>AU!Richard is nineteen, Jason is seventeen, Cass is fifteen, Tim is fourteen, and Damian is ten (because giving Bat Dad four teenagers + Damian all at one time is amusing).<p>

Jason. Harmless. Yeah. Sure. Also, RJ? Really? I _hate_ that nickname (maybe because it was one of mine growing up), which is why I purposefully used it. Apologies to anyone who actually likes it.

Anyway, I've always adored YJ!Robin's wordplay mainly because my significant other and I have been making a game of it ever since we met_._ Therefore we have the following.

_Word of the Day  
><em>_(Brought to you by Boyfriend)_  
>Downtight (<em>adj<em>.): serene, slow to anger, "chillax".


	2. To Dine with Heroes

**City of Wayne  
>Rating:<strong> T  
><strong>Info:<strong> Three words: GATES OF GOTHAM (with actual Cass and Damian interaction _hopefully_ in the near future). Anyway, on a normal evening with these strange AU!Waynes…  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> This is still fanfiction.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Two: To Dine with Heroes<strong>

The bird's nest, huh? Well, there really wasn't that much could impress him these da-

"Dude, how many computers do you _have_?" Dick stared at the stacks of laptops and desktops, the piles of motherboards and the entire table filled with miscellaneous circuitry. A sturdy wooden table that could easily seat a dozen people at a restaurant glittered with naked wiring and tiny bits of metal.

"Right now? Only thirty-seven." Tim crossed his arms, giving the hoard of technology an unimpressed glare. "I donated a whole truck full last month. You should have seen it. Couldn't even see that wall."

Oh, but he could believe it. The question was, why? Despite every possible reason that crossed through his mind, he couldn't find one that made any sense.

As if sensing the impending question, Tim laughed. "All the latest technology. Most of it's legal, but some… not so much. There is no system, hardware or software, out there that I haven't taken apart at least a dozen times. Very handy in the field, if you know what I mean."

Of course he did, and he was impressed. Of course, _he_ hadn't taken this approach when learning his way around computers. "Huh. Bird's nest. So, you're Robin here?" And what did that make his other self, Richard? They couldn't all be Robin. That was ridiculous.

"_Red_ Robin, to be exact." There was that sense of pride all superheroes had when they were able to speak their alias aloud in confidence. "I'm still sort of new to all this, but you better believe that the others wouldn't survive a week without me. All brawn and no brain, the lot of them!"

He hadn't actually expected an answer. It had mostly been a rhetorical question. "Oh! Speaking of that, is there a Justice League here?" _Please say yes!_

There was that crooked grin again. "Oh, so you have one, too? Yeah, they're only the best superheroes in the universe. Batman's one of them. Sort of. When he wants to be."

That was a good sign. The only problem was that the League had to know about the rift, and it did not make sense if they had not tried to keep it from dropping random people into their dimension. That did not bode well. Dick sighed, wondering if he should bother asking about his teammates. They wouldn't be his teammates. Not really. "What about Young Justice?"

Tim's face lit up. "Hell yeah. We exist in your dimension, too? Man, the guys are going to love that." The fourteen-year-old held out his hands as if to frame a headline and cleared his throat, lowering his voice to a ridiculous level. "'Young Justice, the team that transcends the borders of time and space'."

"Uh." So, here Tim was part of the team. Did that mean Richard was, also? There was a sinking feeling in his gut. "And who's on the team?"

"Superboy, Impulse, and me."

Hearing Superboy's name was a relief, but who was Impulse? Maybe it was Kaldur or Wally or maybe even Roy… He couldn't ask for their real names. Tim probably wouldn't tell him, anyway. If only he could see them. _But, wait. If in this dimension Richard is in college… Whoa, Wally is even older! …I don't think I can imagine him as an adult_._ And Kaldur and Roy are even older than he is!_

"How about on your side? What's the team like there?"

Taking a deep breath, Dick calmed his runaway imagination. No sense in trying to guess where everyone was in this dimension. "At first it was just Aqualad, Kid Flash, Superboy, and me. We also have Miss Martian and Artemis now, though."

Tim stared, though Dick caught a glimpse of disbelief before it was carefully masked. "Miss _Martian_? You mean a female Martian? J'onn said he was the last one!"

Whoops. Maybe he was here. Maybe Megan didn't even exist in this dimension…

Apparently thinking in the same vein, Tim gave a half shrug. No use in trying to understand the differences. "So. _You're_ Robin."

"What?"

The Wayne kid waved a hand vaguely. "You asked me if I was Robin earlier. Connections." An unspoken 'duh' lingered in the following silence. Attentive, that one. Dick would have to remember to watch what he said around him so that anything he regretted saying didn't come back to haunt him later. A soft chime sounded, and in an instant Tim fished a mobile from his pocket. His eyes searched the screen for a full two seconds before he looked up, beaming. "They're almost here. Come on, let's go see how Alfred's doing. He's probably in the kitchen."

_I know where that is_. Dick offered a lazy salute and stepped backward through the door, though he hadn't taken two small steps before he backed into something. Or someone. Instinctively, Dick raised an arm as he turned around, and his elbow smashed into Damian's face.

"What is…" Damian reeled at the unexpected impact, a hand nursing his cheekbone within moments. The shock then morphed into pure, unadulterated rage. "How _dare_ you? First you run into me, then you clobber me in the face for good measure! Talk about gratitude for the family that took you in!"

"Shut it, Damian," Tim snapped, pulling the door closed behind him. "You were standing so close to him I'm surprised he didn't clock you one five minutes ago for being a creep." Then he glanced to Dick and his frown deepened. "Actually, never mind, he's technically Richard. I'm not surprised."

As nice as it was that Tim was sort of maybe sticking up for him, he didn't need the help. Also, if Dick were going to be staying with these people for any amount of time, he did not want to make any enemies among them. "I didn't mean to hit you, Damian. I'm sorry. Really." He extended a hand, hoping for a truce.

If Dick's arm had actually been a venomous snake, Damian probably wouldn't have regarded it with any more disdain than he did now. In painfully slow motion he raised his hands to shove them in his pockets. "Fuck off." Then he swept around the two older boys and stalked down the hall.

The phrase "getting off on the wrong foot" was a bit of an understatement. It was more like misstepping and falling on one's face. Except the ground was also quicksand. "We're going to get along awesome," he said with a grin, finding Tim's grimace a bit more entertaining than it probably should have been. "Right, so kitchens. Let's see what ol' Alfred is up to."

::…::

Dick had already suspected that Alfred was probably secretly half alien or god or something considering how much he could do for both Bruce _and_ Batman. The butler had never once let anyone down. It was nice to see that some things didn't change. Alfred was hawkishly watching a large pot of what looked to be enough pasta to feed a family of elephants, Richard and Cass tending to whatever orders Alfred rapped off. Well, maybe 'orders' wasn't the right word, but-

"Master Timothy, I believe that incessant whirring is coming from a certain robotic school project of yours in the den."

Tim took a moment to listen for the said "whirring", his shoulders slumping as he noticed it over the range vents and the steady sound of knives on cutting boards. "Right. I'll get that. Thanks, Alfred."

They were more like suggestions that one was expected to take. Dick took one intent look at the kitchen, from the ultra-bright lighting of the florescent light bulb that cast a synthetic gleam across the shining hard surfaces to the stack of a dozen fine china plates on the dark counter. It was definitely the kitchen of Wayne manor, but foreign. _I'll be back soon. Can't possibly be here too long. If I don't find a way back, then the others will find a way to_ get _me back_.

Alfred had begun placing servings of pasta in bowls, handing them to Cassandra, who then grated a light dusting of cheese on top. As if sensing a pair of eyes on him, the butler motioned to Richard, who took over the job, and turned to the thirteen-year-old. Those same bright eyes, the same unabashed and incredibly compassionate face… "Do you need something, Master Dick?"

This man didn't know him. The only reason this Alfred knew his name was because someone –Dick guessed Richard- had told him. "I…" This was the first truly familiar face he had seen, one that was actually _right_ in all of this chaos. _But, that's not true. He's just like the others_. "Um, I want to help. Is there anything I can do?"

Because Alfred in any dimension obviously had something akin to a lie detector wired into his brain, his expression remained expectant a moment longer as if waiting for Dick to say what he had actually wanted to in the first place. However, then the butler offered the smallest of smiles and flicked his gaze to the door. "The dining room is through there. You may set the table for twelve."

A basket of silverware and napkins was already sitting on the counter, so Dick nodded and gingerly tipped the basket into his arms. Huh, twelve people. Who on earth could possibly be coming for dinner at the house of Bruce Wayne? It couldn't be anyone too important because the silverware was limited to two forks, a knife, and a spoon. High class guests earned at least half a dozen more utensils.

Just as Dick was placing the second to last set of silverware down, a horrible knocking sound echoed through the mansion. Someone was insistent in getting inside…

"I've got it, I'll get it!" came Tim's voice from somewhere in the maze of halls.

Definitely not formal company. Just then, the clock on the wall gave a low chime to signal five thirty and Alfred immediately stepped into the dining room, several bowls of fresh salad lining his arms. _Prompt as ever, I guess_.

"Miss Cassandra is seeing to the last of the main course. She may require your help."

Voices from the main hall meant the visitors were here… Dick threw a longing glance in that general direction before nodding. "Right." Who was here? It probably wasn't anyone he knew, but there was a small chance. Maybe Bruce was with them? He hadn't heard anything about Bruce yet.

Tentatively, Dick peeked into the kitchen. Cassandra was adding a bit of parsley to the pasta dishes, her expression blank, devoid of anything that could betray what she was thinking. Now that he really looked at her, Dick could see just how formidable she was, despite her slight build. "You want some help?"

Cassandra paused in her work for the slightest moment. "No."

Dick did not have a chance to decide what to do next because a brown-haired kid suddenly sprinted into the kitchen, nearly knocking him clean over. The strange boy, however, did not even seem to notice. He made a beeline for Cassandra.

"Oh my God, that smells so good. When are we eating? Can we have seconds? We got here on time, right on the minute! Tim said that Alfred would let me have extra dessert if we got here on time soIamreallyexcitedbecause-"

By simply holding a finger up to her lips, Cassandra managed to stop the kid's breakneck speed ramble.

_His hair looks like it's alive._ Dick tilted his head to the side, but the different angle did not help to change his assessment. Then Tim walked in after the excitable newcomer, and Dick took that as a cue to inch out. There were still a few people unaccounted for.

A distinctly familiar laugh echoed from the foyer, and Dick paused before poking around the corner to see who it was. _Wait, that's just that guy. Richard. That's _my_ laugh. Creepy_. Dick pressed himself to the hall wall for a moment before daring to glance into the spacious foyer. A small voice in the back of his mind was quite insistent that he didn't want to know who was here… It was unlikely that he would know who the guests were, but there was always the horrifying fact that he _might_.

"So, is this the little guy who came through the rift?"

He at least had the bearing to not jump from the shock of seeing foyer one moment and a striped, buttoned shirt the next. Dick looked up at the stranger -how tall was this person?- and paled upon recognizing the familiar green eyes, sea of freckles, and red hair. Any sense of stability that had been steadily knitting itself together was again torn to shreds. _Whoa, whoa, whoa, that's just… _No, this was ridiculous. He couldn't let this alternate dimension stuff get to him anymore. Dick closed his eyes and took a deep breath, forcing himself to remain calm. Then he looked back up to the grinning "stranger". "No, I'm just here temporarily."

Richard drew up beside the adult Wally, his expression a mixture of amusement and something Dick couldn't quite identify. It just felt like his older counterpart was watching him a bit too closely. "We're calling him Dick."

"And you're Wally West." Dick smiled when Wally's grin simply widened. And Richard had just mentioned the rift, so there wasn't any sense in trying to avoid mentioning his true origins. "Haha, this is so whacked. You look exactly the same, just taller!" There was the same ever so slightly roundness to the face, the same completely at easy expression. True, Richard obviously shared facial features with him, but they were sharper. By simply looking at the two of them , Dick couldn't tell if Wally was even two years older than Richard or not.

Wally chuckled, jabbing a thumb toward Richard. "Yep, and I'll be taller than you for the rest of your life. Told this guy here last time we met that he had a chance of growing at least a quarter of an inch, but it looks like that won't ever ha-"

"Are you two going to stand around in the hall all day, or are you going to come eat with the rest of us?"

Roy! Dick brushed by Wally and Richard to see Roy, Oliver Queen, and Black Canary of all people lingering by the door to the dining room. They all were obviously a bit older, but they didn't look much different. "They came all the way from California for dinner?" For Wally, the trip back to Nebraska was no big deal, but… _There's something else going on. Maybe something with the League. _If Green Arrow and Black Canary were actually members here, of course.

"Business," Oliver said, though it almost sounded more like a question than a statement. He shrugged when Roy and Dinah shot him equally exasperated glares. "_I_ think that's good enough reason to take a nice trip with the family."

No Artemis, though. Still, when Richard gave his shoulder a nudge, Dick followed the new arrivals to the dining room, where Cassandra was helping to place the last of the pasta dishes on the table. The brown-haired kid from before was already seated, practically bouncing in his seat as he jabbered on to Tim, who was next to him. Sitting a seat away from Tim was… Jason? A very surly Jason from the looks of it, who was glaring at the screen of a mobile phone as if it had deeply insulted him.

"That's the one."

A hand lightly grabbed the back of his jacket, and Dick looked over his shoulder, puzzled, but Richard was not looking at him. It was…

"Yeah, Bruce, it is."

Oh. Dick narrowed his gaze at Richard's suddenly cool tone before wriggling out of the older teenager's grasp and taking a few steps back into the foyer.

This Bruce Wayne was hardly any different than the one Dick knew so well, though with a slightly more weathered face. His expression was still of the wealthy Bruce, a mask through and through. It also seemed that he had come straight from work considering he was still wearing a suit. His blue eyes fell on Dick as he paused by the dining room entrance.

"It's kind of weird introducing myself to people I already know. Dick Grayson."

"I know." Then Bruce looked to Richard briefly. "You're taking care of him." And then he stepped into the dining room.

"Sure, sure." Richard prodded Dick into the room then, lowering his voice as he shifted his attention back to the thirteen-year-old. "Can't, by the way. No offense. He's just like that because he wants us to think he doesn't like having so many kids around. Bruce won't mind you."

Right. Richard didn't live in Gotham City any more. And Bruce. Hopefully he would get a chance to talk to him later… He had to start on finding a way home. Maybe not immediately, but sometime soon.

"Hey._ Dick_. If you don't sit down, I'm-"

"_Jason_."

Food. He'd almost forgotten. Richard was already heading for the chair between Wally and Roy, so it looked like it was already predetermined that he was to sit between Tim and Jason. Joy. The others were patiently waiting for him (except Tim's crazy-haired friend at the end of the table, who had already devoured half his pasta), so he quickly dashed for his own chair.

Alfred closed the doors then as the adults began eating, and Dick watched curiously. Hmm. "What's Alfred up to?" he whispered to Tim, tentatively picking up his fork. He had never actually eaten at the dining table with so many superheroes before, so who knew what was going on.

"Soundproofing. If this were a public room, it would be able to hold meetings all the way up to top secret." Without even looking away from Dick, Tim still managed to whack the brown-haired boy's hand away when the kid tried taking a bite of Tim's salad. "This is Bart, by the way. Bart Allen."

Bart muttered something through a mouthful of food, and Tim gave a short nod. After swallowing, Bart grinned. "It's Impulse."

Impulse, one of the names Tim had mentioned earlier. So… This dimension's Young Justice had completely different members at the moment. Except for Superboy.

"So, new sidekick. That's two new kids Bats has picked up in the past year."

"I'm not planning on staying that long."

Bart probably hadn't heard him because he had attempted another sneak attack at the remaining carrot in Tim's salad and failed miserably. When he leaned out of the way to avoid Tim's vengeful grasp he simply received a flick to the ear from Wally.

Huh. Bart. Here with Wally? Bart _Allen_. Dick looked to Wally, then to Richard, then Roy, then back to Wally. "You're not Kid Flash any more, are you?"

"What do you think?" Wally said before tossing an olive into the air and easily catching it in his mouth. He grinned. "Just Flash now."

_I think the kid's still there, even if it isn't in the name_.

Roy snorted. "Yeah, couldn't think of a better name for himself. At least Squirt over there had the sense to think of something original."

Bart beamed at the praise before returning his attention to his –and Tim's- food.

"That coming from the guy who ran around as _Red_ Arrow before," Wally replied happily. "Why did you change names this time? Just get bored with them after a few years?"

Richard leaned out of the way as Roy tossed a cherry tomato at the grinning speedster. Roy's stern frown, however, twitched with the threat of a smile. "Too many Arrows these days. Arrowette, Red Arrow, _two_ Green Arrows. It's getting crazy out there. The people need a little variety to keep them from getting confused."

"Whatever would those poor people do without Arsenal to save them from all those similar names?" Richard snickered as Roy gave him a prompt elbow to the ribs.

There were two Green Arrows? More importantly, who was Arrowette? _Five dollars say that's Artemis_.

To Dick's left, Jason gave a derisive snort, and the thirteen-year-old could practically_ hear_ an eye roll to accompany it. "Longest dinner ever. They think that some of us have nothing better to do than sit around and listen to this all day."

Apparently Jason had had soccer practice today, but considering he was here and not somewhere else… Dick watched as Jason stabbed at the last few bits of lettuce in his salad bowl as if they were insects to be squished under one's heel. On the surly teenager's other side, a gently smiling Cassandra was prying a mobile from Damian's hands. Damian, to Dick's surprise, simply stuck out his tongue in retaliation and began eating his own salad. Then was Bruce, at the head of the table. He seemed to be watching Damian discreetly, and gave a faint smile when the ten-year-old finally had his attention on food instead of his phone.

Oliver sat next to Bruce, which was a bit strange considering how well they got along, but… Well, Black Canary was between Oliver and Roy, and maybe that made everything make a little bit of sense.

"S'not that bad," Dick said, tossing Jason an amiable glance. "I mean, since I'm here, it can't be _too_ important, right?"

Jason laughed as he pushed his bowl aside. "Nah, nah. See, Richard decided when we found you that you should stay with us. _I_ think it's just to annoy Dad. But, since you already know all the little details, it's not like we have to break the ice before you hear everything from the big guys. You still can't hit the streets with us, though. Everyone has to run the gauntlet first… Even Damian has to, and he was _born_ for this kind of thing."

What, no. They were assuming that he would be staying here forever, all of them were. Didn't they know that he needed to get to his own world? Surely Richard would know, if the two of them were anything alike… But, if running the gauntlet again was all he needed to do to get to the Justice League, then fine. He could indulge them for a while. Dick poked absently at the remains of his salad. "How was soccer?"

"Very funny. I ditched when I saw they were just drilling the same old things."

Silence had fallen over the table, and the last of Jason's words were the only sound in the dining hall. Bruce gave the teenager a disapproving glance before turning to Oliver, who was still happily eating his pasta. "Do you want to start or are too preoccupied at the moment, Ollie?"

"Will your two little ones be working with us, too?" Black Canary said, her gaze flicking across the table to Damian before working its way to Dick. Had she always had dark eyebrows?

"No."

Of course not. Dick had a vague feeling that Damian was only keeping quiet due to Cassandra's close proximity. Still, if they were supposedly trusting him already, then this could be big… Green Arrow from Star City, the Flash from Central City, and Batman of Gotham City. That covered the entire continent, coast to coast and in between!

"Star City has been really quiet," Oliver said at last. "I called Dinah a few weeks ago and told her that we hadn't had a single major crime for ages."

"And I told him to keep an eye on it," said Black Canary.

Oliver folded his arms across his chest, and for the first time Dick realized that something was a bit off about the blond archer. What is was, he couldn't quite tell. "Then the third of January rolled around. I don't think I have to remind anyone about that."

"There were so many of them, most we'd never even seen in Star City before." Roy settled his elbows on the table, settling forward to more easily see the older heroes at the head of the table. "But we've _heard_ of them. Then, they all disappeared."

"Criminals, maniacs, you name it, we had it," said Oliver. "They escaped through their own reflections. Any flat surface from windows to mirrors, they just ran at them and disappeared. Even the ones that were arrested founds ways to escape."

At that, Wally suddenly raised a hand. "Mirrors? You said mirrors?"

Bruce nodded, his expression unreadable. "You're familiar with the Mirror Master, Wally. Sounds a bit like his specialty, doesn't it? It would be simple for him to bring as many scumbags as he wants into our dimension with his mirrors."

"Yeah. After the attack on Star City, all our usual suspects went real quiet. They were _antsy_. Scared of something. They sure knew something we didn't. Then, right across the state line in Nebraska, Central City has a mass break out of _hypnosis_. It was crazy! They were like zombies!"

"But without all the 'rawg, brains' stuff," Bart added. "They were boring zombies."

"If we hadn't been in Keystone, I think we might have been one of them. After we got there, there weren't any new cases, but we couldn't find a way to reverse it, either. We had to wait it out."

"Took a _whole afternoon_."

"And about a week ago the streets of Blüdhaven suddenly started to look like downtown Gotham. And, for Blüdhaven, that's a pretty high step up." Richard nodded toward Jason. "Tell them what you saw this afternoon on your way to the university."

Jason shrugged. "Some guy was lying half in the street, so I stopped to help him. Turns out he's one of those purse snatchers Richard and I were chasing a few weeks back. He wouldn't talk, couldn't even focus his eyes. I just called an ambulance and they took him. EMTs were talking about how they were finding criminals like that all over the city. Started this morning."

"More zombies," Bart whispered.

"What Wally failed to mention is that, while he and Bart were trying to settle things in Central City, Mirror Master was in Keystone. Now he's here, and I don't intend on letting him waltz around Gotham like he owns the place," said Bruce.

"You think he caused all of that back in Central City?" Wally didn't even try hiding the skepticism in his voice.

"No. I _know_ he did."

"_Right_." Richard matched Bruce's unflinching gaze with a glare. "Well, with all of us searching for him, he doesn't have much room for dancing, waltzing or not. Now we can finish this meal and begin preparing for a night out afterward, all right?"

Dick didn't catch Bruce's reply because he was staring at his older counterpart. From the earlier encounter, he had caught on that perhaps Bruce and Richard were not exactly on the best of terms at the moment, but this was beyond a simple tiff. This was a hypertiff. An _ultra_tiff.

Whatever it was, it soon passed, and Dick looked up when Jason suddenly got to his feet. "Fun stuff, but I'm going to do some homework or something before," Jason said flatly as he shoved his chair back under the table.

"Stay out of the cave," was Bruce's only response.

Tim pushed his plate to Bart, who happily stabbed his fork into the remaining bite of noodles, before looking to Dick. "This is going to be fun. Dad didn't want all these people coming to help, but Richard sort of invited everyone. Then Alfred already started making plans for dinner, and _bam_. One surly Bats for the night. Joy. Maybe it's a good thing you have to sit this one out."

_As if I don't know what it's like working with him on a bad night_. Dick shrugged and got up as well. "I'm going to help Alfred with the cleaning for now."

He could sort out what he was going to do later afterward because he was obviously not going to sit around Wayne Manor and do_ nothing_. For some reason, he had a feeling Damian felt the same way.

::…::

"The room across the hall is Master Timothy's, who, by the way, wants you to know that you may make use of his closet for the time being." Alfred turned on the lights of the guest room and gestured to the boxes on the large bed. "However, I believe those clothes should fit you just fine."

When did Alfred have time to get clothes in his size? _I bet he has clones or something_. Dick stepped into the room, taking in a deep breath. Despite being a spare room, the air was not stale as he had expected. There was a life in every room of this house that he couldn't even imagine. He then turned his attention to the nearest box, easing the top off and smiling when he saw a pair of familiar glasses sitting on top of the carefully folded shirts.

"Master Richard would have returned them to you in person, but it seems everyone is in a bit of a hurry at the moment."

Dick planted the glasses on top of his head for later and picked up one of the shirts. Of course they were the right size. Alfred was good like that. "Thanks, Alfred."

Not only was this Alfred as efficient and unbelievably considerate as his own Alfred, but this one had an entire family to care for! Even now, he could be in the Bat Cave with the others, seeing to them before they went searching for whoever this Mirror Master person was. But, no.

"If there is anything you need, you can- Oh." Alfred looked down to see the dark glasses gleaming in the light, the boy's face pressed into the butler's coat. "You're welcome, Master Dick," he said as he returned the hug.

All of them wanted to keep him here. Richard hadn't talked about finding a way to pinpoint his respective dimension, only that people who fell into this world always ran back to the rift, to wander forever without ever finding home. Why? Was it because they missed their home so much? Or was it because there was something wrong with _this_ dimension? Dick stiffened. Who knew.

Dick released Alfred, attempting to smile. "I'll be right here." He watched Alfred leave before he allowed the false cheerfulness to melt.

Now that he was thinking about the rift, how could he not think about it? Maybe it was a psychological thing, messed with one's mind.

Shaking his head, Dick snorted. _Whatever. I can worry about that later. For now, let's see what Damian is up to_.

It wasn't hard finding the little guy, and for that Dick half wondered if Damian had wanted to be found. The son of Bruce Wayne was perched on the handrail of the foyer's left staircase, some sort of handheld game in his hands. For a tiny little guy sitting twenty feet above a marble floor, he sure was confident in his ability to keep his balance while preoccupied.

Good.

"How long have you been with Bruce?" Easy, no snark. Snark wouldn't get anywhere with this kid. Dick vaulted onto the railing about a foot from the other boy, examining the multicolored floor of the foyer below.

"I don't have to tell you anything, _Grayson_." While his brows were knit together in concentration, his expression was impressively blank.

Huh. Dick swung his legs over the other side of the railing and climbed down a bit until his shoes met a crease in the wall. He folded his arms over the top of the railing, plopping his chin on his forearms. "Yeah, you don't. What are you doing?"

"None of your business."

"Sounds like fun."

Damian finally looked away from the device in his hands, his look one that was usually filed under 'I am being forced to deal with a complete moron and I _don't like it_'. "You know, if I pushed you, you'd go splat in seconds. You talk too much, you're annoying, and you're trying too hard to be nice. I have no idea why Richard wanted you here."

Fine, nice didn't work, either. Dick lifted himself into a handstand, eyeing the soaring windows of the foyer for a moment before flipping back onto solid ground. "I guess helping the others tonight isn't on your agenda, then."

The gaming device snapped shut and Damian leaped onto the floor, his eyes narrowed. "What, you thinking about going out?"

"So you were, too. I figured."

"You're just a loser newbie."

"And what are you?"

Damian rolled his eyes, his knuckles going white. "I am going to kill you before morning."

"Just as long as we're gone in the next half hour."

::…::

"Oh, man. Bats isn't lookin' too happy."

Artemis raised an eyebrow. "Does he ever?"

That had not been a question. Wally opened his mouth to retort that the female archer was completely missing the point, but the words died before they could be voiced. No. She was right. "Kaldur's taking that glare like a champ, though."

"You better be glad he's taking that glare for you. You're the one who shut the wonder boy in that room, Kid."

"Yeah, well, Megan and J'onn are still over in Blüdhaven trying to figure out what happened. How was I supposed to know he was going to disappear? And, I mean, not just the Rob kind of disappearing, but really vanishing without the whole _coming back_ bit."

The door hadn't opened immediately, but after a few minutes of fiddling with the handle Superboy had taken over and yanked it open. No Robin. Still, this was a ninja kid they were dealing with, so Wally hadn't been bothered by the complete lack of Robin standing in the middle of the chamber. Then it had begun to sink in that there was no place to hide in an anechoic chamber, and even ninja kids needed a little space to disappear. Cue hours of searching, and the entire time Wally had been wrestling with the idea that this was somehow his fault.

It couldn't be, but he could have averted it. Maybe. Not closing the door might have been a good start.

Artemis shook her head before straightening as Batman suddenly stalked toward them. "Here he comes."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:<strong>  
>And next week, things start to go a bit crazy in the AU. Also, more time with YJ back in the real world.<p>

By the way, these words of the day are not my fault, and I apologize in advance (I honestly had no idea how I was going to work this one in at first).

_Word of the Day:  
>(Brought to you by Boyfriend)<br>_hypertiff (_n_.) a quarrel that is beyond all definitions of 'small' or 'passive', but is still usually petty. Synonymous with ultratiff and supermegaomgtiff.


	3. A Night for Damian

**City of Wayne  
>Rating:<strong> T  
><strong>Info:<strong> In which we find out Damian is not exactly who he originally seemed to be. Other things also happen. (the pacing is really weird in this chapter, too)  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Still just fanfiction. Not a single one of these characters belongs to me.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Three: A Night for Damian<strong>

"These are classy."

One of Damian's passive glares could put one of Superboy's most withering to shame, domino mask or not. "It isn't meant for fashion, peasant. Dark grays are better suited for hiding than red or gold." He readjusted the utility belt of his own training suit with a tut of impatience. "You should stick to that. Hiding. There's little armor in these suits."

Not for the first time, Dick stifled a chuckle at the younger boy's speech. No ten-year-old was supposed to talk like that. "Yeah, I know. Only thing that's weird is the lack of cape." He retightened his gloves and looked over the edge of their perch half a dozen stories above the streets of Gotham. This Mirror Master person could be anywhere in the city, and they didn't even know where the heroes themselves had gone searching for the man. Damian's contact, whoever it was, had better be good.

"Come on, we're almost there." Damian leveled a slightly less hostile look at his companion as he pulled a grappling gun from his belt. "Don't fall." He leaped from the building ledge a second later, though within moments Dick suddenly passed him with an impish laugh. So much for having a moment. "Braggart, I hope you _do_ fall! I won't stop to peel you off the pavement!"

"Is that where we're going? There? Good, I'll race you!" Dick smirked as the hook of his own grappling line caught on the nearest building as Damian continued toward the streets. The target was a low lying roof, a tiny building effectively dwarfed by the soaring skyscrapers of downtown Gotham. A simple goal, a quick one, but Dick didn't care. Since Young Justice's last failed mission, there had been double the training and much less time for haunting the streets of Gotham. Less time for flying.

The line released and Dick rolled onto a fourth story balcony before he was up and over the railing, freefalling again. In the air as it whipped past, beneath the usual grimy scent that was Gotham, was the promise of rain. _Great, just what we need_. He caught sight of Damian several yards away before engaging the grappling gun again.

There was something amazing about the feel in the transition between falling and swinging as the line wrenched taut, something that no normal person could ever experience (without having their arms ripped from their sockets, at least). It was even better without the weight of a cape clawing from his back. The line released, and now it was only a ways to fall, almost there…

Damian's foot touched the roof first, though only by a fraction of a second. The ten-year-old allowed the line to retract before tucking the grapping gun back in his belt. "Your infantile antics are not as endearing as you would think."

And yet Dick knew he had caught a glimpse of a smirk. That was better than nothing. Progress at last! In all honesty, he had not gone lightly on the kid. Damian had done well. The only thing was that Dick had hesitated for just a moment, embellished the last swing a little too much… At least Damian hadn't noticed. "Nah. You just don't want to admit that you don't mind me."

"You have a friend."

A girl was waiting for them, all smiles as she blew strands of blond hair from her face, the top half of which was masked by a rather familiar cowl. Her dark suit had made her all but invisible from the air, but now Dick could easily spot her yellow utility belt and the blinding bat symbol on her chest.

Well, it wasn't Cassandra. Not that Dick doubted that the female Wayne could attempt any vigilante persona she wished, but the body type was clearly wrong. This girl was obviously a bit younger. "It's Robin," Dick said. "Who are you supposed to be?"

"Batgirl." She raised a hand, and Damian examined it for a moment before reluctantly raising his own. The so called 'Batgirl' then slapped their palms together in a rather pathetic high-five. "Hm, better than last time, kid. Have you been practicing?"

"Bat_girl_? With 'Bat' as in Batman?" How many superheroes with connections to Batman were in this city? Including Richard in Blüdhaven, this girl, and the other Wayne teenagers, that was… Five. _Which is four too many. I wonder if Black Canary is mentoring this many people. _Gotham would have more heroes than it would know what to do with!

"Have a problem hearing?" Damian growled.

The blond gave a flippant wave of the hand. "I get that a lot. I get missions straight from him, just like the others do. Speaking of missions." Here Batgirl took a small cylinder from her belt, which then extended into a bo staff. She leaned on it with a grin. "I've been practicing everything you showed me. I was sparring with Red Robin a few nights back, and he was very impressed. He didn't know what hit him and went home wondering how I did it. It's still a work in progress, though. What do _you_ have? Have you been acting like a normal kid at all?"

"_I've_ mastered my end of the deal. He can vouch. I was practicing speech patterns and gestures today, barbarizing the English language with laziness and uncouthness while flailing about like a rabid monkey." Damian turned to Dick with an expectant frown.

"He has the uncouth monkey part down _pat_," Dick said happily.

Damian was probably glaring underneath that mask, contemplating whether to stab him with a batarang or not.

Mimicking Damian's motions from that evening, raising his arms with clawed fingers, Dick grinned. "'Frickin' Batkid', huh? He also jumped in front of a moving car. And then got mad about it. Yeah, he was a pretty normal brat for a while." _Until the batarang showed up and he broke cover_.

"We'll make a kid out of you yet." Batgirl put a hand on Damian's head, which the boy tolerated for all of a second before batting her away.

"Do you have the locations of the others or not? We're not here for a social outing."

Batgirl tapped her cowl. "Contacted Red Robin half an hour ago. He and Batman are on the east side of town, checking out some old warehouses by the docks. They sounded pretty busy, so he didn't really have time to say where the others were. Ah, ah! Before you say anything, hear me out. I brought a friend who is able to get in touch with the rest of them."

There was quite a distance between them and Batman, which, in a way, was probably for the best. There had been no speech, no direct order to stay at Wayne Manor, but the two of them had been excluded from further preparations of the mission after dinner. It didn't take a detective to pick up on the implications that they weren't exactly supposed to be helping with the case.

"Maybe you can find out if they have any other hot spots in mind. Then you could tag along with us, Batgirl." He hadn't meant it to be mocking, though a moment later Dick realized that his tone could easily have been taken as such. Batgirl's suit was definitely quality work, and if Batman was allowing her to run about using part of his name… Well, hopefully that was a sign that she could hold her own on the streets. If he and Damian were going street level, he wouldn't mind having her along. Without several choice pieces of his preferred gear –computer among them- he already felt unprepared as it was. Besides, even if the concept of Batgirl still didn't feel quite right, as a person she was likeable enough.

Instead of replying, Batgirl was looking over his shoulder, and Dick turned to see a caped woman gliding toward their rooftop. As soon as her feet touched the roof she made straight for their small group. Judging from her suit, so similar to Batgirl's even in its simplicity, she was likely the friend Bargirl had mentioned.

"Tag along? Is that what I heard?" The woman grinned as she examined the two boys. "Aren't you two a little young to be out here on your own?"

"Aren't you a little old? I thought you stayed indoors these days, Oracle."

"Oh, I'd recognize that tone anywhere." The woman –Oracle- suddenly frowned as she looked to Damian. "The only reason I didn't tell Batman you had been running about with a mask was because Nightwing was always looking after you. Why are you out here alone?"

Damian had obviously had enough of the questions. "This is a waste of time. I am not here for an interrogation, and I do not require Nightwing's supervision. I certainly do not need to hear any lectures from _you_." He paused for a moment, glancing toward Dick before smirking. "But, if it will shut you up, I'm obviously not alone. The rift obviously has more of a sense of humor than you do. This is Nightwing from another dimension."

Oracle exchanged an exasperated look with Batgirl. "I'm proud of you for trying to be a good influence on him, at least. Anyway. Black Bat is making rounds of the major crime families' more popular haunts and Nightwing asked for information on a charity gala being held at the Promenade Hotel. Black Canary wanted the delivery times for a shipment of diamonds headed for the museum tonight. Batman gave me a couple of locations that would need watching tonight, and the two of us will be taking those for ourselves." She then leaned slightly to get a better look at Dick, her eyes narrowed as she examined him. "Little Nightwing or not, I don't think you're supposed to be here, either. I suggest you two head back to the cave for the night."

He didn't know what was worse, the fact that he had to prove himself to the entire world of superheroes (again) or that he was, in their eyes, simply a copy of one of them. Is this what Superboy felt like all the time? Dick shrugged, fishing the grappling gun from his belt. "Sorry, but we're not planning on sitting in a cave while everyone else tries to figure out what's going on. A couple extra pairs of eyes can't hurt."

"They can come with me." Batgirl gave Damian a jerky pat on the shoulder, which he allowed if only for the sake of her argument. "We've worked together a few times before, and he's pretty good. Really good, actually. Besides, if we let them go, we both know they're not just going to go home."

An explosion from the street level cut off anything Oracle might have said after, followed by a gamut of blood curdling sounds of terror. The four scrambled to the edge of the roof as one.

_Jeez_. _What's going on down there? _Dick looked down the street to where dark smoke was beginning to darken the golden-lit streets as people began running from the scene. From the glassy surfaces of the sleek buildings emerged even more figures, though they were not running. Not really. Some immediately set to destroying everything in their paths, others were attracted to the fleeing civilians.

"Tt. It's just a repeat of Star City. We can take care of this." Damian looked to his companion.

Dick was already gone.

::…::

When she had first entered the anechoic chamber earlier that day, Megan had noticed something was a little strange about it. Initially she had simply written it off as an odd reaction from being completely shut off from the world. She had not sensed a single mind aside from the ones of her teammates, as if the entire city of Blüdhaven had vanished. But now, with just herself and Uncle J'onn in the chamber, she could clearly sense the wrongness of the place. It wasn't just the unbearable silence that burned into the mind.

Megan settled on the mesh, at a loss. _What else could be here? There should be clues of someone taking him from this room, or a sign that this chamber is hiding something. _The Martian girl closed her eyes with a light sigh and tempered the frustration and confusion with a single thought: Robin. She would find out what happened. There was no doubt.

As the tension in her shoulders slowly subsided, Megan drew in a deep breath and slowly blew it out. _There is something here_. Relax, calm, think. _Uncle J'onn is here, but no one else. I can't sense anyone_. Concentrate, think. _The silence feels like water. Heavy, slows you down_. Be strong, quick, think!

There was a glimmer of a thought, the slightest brush of a mind against her own.

The door opened, and the soft creak of its hinges sounded like a mountain collapsing in the silence.

It was Wally. The redhead peered in, but the two Martians were quick to note that the human did not actually step into the room. Wally attempted his usual smile, but it was obviously forced. "Batman wants to talk to you, Martian Manhunter. Um. Sir."

A moment passed before J'onn moved, as deep in thought as he was. Then, he opened his eyes, the dark, unfamiliar eyes of his human alter ego. Still, when he looked at Megan, she could still clearly see her uncle within the disguise. "_I will return. I believe I may understand what has happened here, but I cannot say for sure. I must go and calm the Batman._"

"_I will wait for you here, Uncle_." Megan nodded in farewell as J'onn stepped out of the chamber, a small smile finding its way onto her face as Wally then gave the anechoic chamber's floor a tentative poke with the toe of his sneaker. "_Are you going to join me?_" After all, Wally and Robin were close friends, so it would make sense that he would want to help.

"Whoa, mindspeak," Wally said with a weak chuckle. "If I go back to the mountain, Batman is probably going to either kill me or find some really cruel way to punish me. So… Yeah, I was kind of hoping you'd let me stay. Nice outfit, by the way. See you discovered jeans."

Megan telekinetically closed the door behind Wally as he padded uncertainly across the mesh. "_Thank you._ _Oh! Hello, Megan! I hope you don't mind if I don't speak aloud in here. I don't… It makes me sound funny_." The sound was horribly foreign, which only added to the already almost unbearable oddness of the chamber. At least telepathically her words still sounded like her own.

"No problem, babe." Wally's smile brightened to its usual vigor, probably partly because he was finally distracted from thoughts of death by Batman and because of the deeper, more mature tone the chamber added to his voice. He sat down next to the Martian, examining the foam wedges that lurked beneath the mesh before looking back to Megan. "What are you doing, anyway?"

How to explain. "_There is something different about this place. Even you and Superboy noticed it when we were here before. I am trying to understand it_." There was still the possibility that someone had taken Robin. After all, there were humans on Earth that could easily pass through walls. Wally's mentor was proof of that. But, for what purpose? They had been here as a group of six human teenagers, not superheroes. _No, it must be this room. It is almost as if it is telling me that, but won't say anything else_.

"It's kinda like hot water."

"_Hot… water?_"

Wally nodded sagely. "Well, have you ever tried putting your hands in hot water to warm them up in the winter? No? Um, it _hurts_, for the record." He grimaced, fighting a shudder as he recalled the incident. "Even warm water will hurt. But, if you touch the warm water when your hand is at normal body temp, it's fine. You can even tolerate the hot water for a while… Then your body starts to go 'whoa, ow!', and you get the hell outta Dodge."

Megan stared at him, trying to piece together the parallel.

"Whenever we go on missions, you could say we're like cold hands in hot water. Subconsciously, we know there's danger everywhere. Say this chamber is hot water and everything outside is warm water. Except, today, we weren't cold. Outside, everything was fine. Even when we first got in here, it was alright. Then…"

"_Our subconscious minds began realize there was danger?_"

"Pretty much. This place is tricky."

How on Earth he managed to come up with that was lost on her, but it did make sense in a way. The lingering wrongness of the place started as a mere itch on the mind, but it grew over time. "_I wonder if Uncle J'onn knows anything about the man that designed this chamber. Red Tornado said that the shields are incredibly advanced for the human race. If that man had access to such technology, maybe he could have.._." And there was the problem. Could have _what_? They did not even know what had happened to Robin, let alone where he had gone. Nothing made any sense, no matter how she tried to rationalize it. It was beginning to feel almost hopeless.

Sensing Megan's distress, Wally set a hand on her knee, a motion he never would have taken if the Martian were wearing her usual skirt. His green eyes were determined. "Don't worry. We're going to find him. If it's the last thing I do, I'll bring Rob back. You know, with help from you guys, of course."

That's right. She had the best friends that any Martian or Earth girl could ever want, and that meant Robin did, too. "_He is very lucky to have you as a friend, Wally. As am I_." She could do her part, then! This room would not keep any more secrets from her, no matter how-

A flash of jealousy, hurt, _rage_ flashed through her mind, and Megan jerked at the suddenness of the contact.

"Hey, Meg, you alright?"

A hand on her shoulder kept her sitting upright as Megan clenched her eyes shut, searching, _hunting_ for the source of those searing emotions. As they had been talking, Wally's voice and companionable presence had been more than enough to set her at ease, and without realizing it her telepathic senses had sharpened. Like when the door hinges had sounded too loud when she had been lost in her mind, the touch of a consciousness against her own had screamed when she had been lost in conversation. She had felt it clearly, but it was not Robin. It was…

"_Wally, the door is still closed, isn't it?_"

The grip on Megan's shoulder tightened, not painfully, but enough that she could tell Wally was concerned. "Yeah, door's closed. It never opened. You, uh, _sense_ something?"

Megan opened her eyes slowly, realizing the faint echo of the foreign mind was now completely gone. Finally, a clue, a _sign_, and it had slipped right through her metaphorical fingers. For now, at least. "_I think so. I think that I may be on the right path_."

::…::

By this time, all of the scumbags still lingering on the same fire-lit street had witnessed the prowess of the four masked vigilantes, and gone were the jeers of "silly kid, run along home" and the like. The laughter, the brevity, all of it was gone. Except for one certain teenager. _This_ was Gotham City.

"At least _try_ to hit me!" Dick ducked and a baseball bat sailed over his head. "Oh, fail." The teenager vaulted at his gruff assailant, his hands landing on the man's shoulders before he flipped neatly onto a nearby car. He looked over his shoulder just in time to see Damian down the man with a fierce kick to the head. There was no time for praise- a fist flew into his peripheral vision, and Dick swerved away.

The new attacker scowled, and he paused. Waited. As soon as the boy's feet left the car hood for what was no doubt going to be an impressive aerial assault, he struck. The blow hit the kid just above the ear, and he fell in an instant.

_Ow_. Dick shook his head as his hearing roared for a moment, his smile fading for the first time since joining the fight.

"Whatcha doing lollygagging around on the ground for, rat?" The man attempted to smash Dick's hand underneath his boot, but the boy rolled away and scrambled upright once more.

"Lollygag." Dick aimed a kick at the man's knee and then took the resulting opening to knee him in the groin. The boy's smile returned. "I _hate_ that word."

Damian was suddenly by his side to give the man a prompt punch to the face. "That was unnecessary and all around 'dirty' fighting. I approve." He watched the man finally fall with that demon's grin of his. "This is the last of the ingrates still fighting. Further down the street the police are beginning to round up stragglers. Unfortunately, they've caught on."

Which meant… The remaining mysterious aggressors were running for any reflective surface they could find, disappearing as if through some sort of portal. A block over, Dick spotted one woman leap into a window, vanishing into her own reflection. A police officer who had been at her heels put a hand to the window, but it appeared solid to the touch. Looked like following them wasn't an option.

"Time to go. Back to the roof." Damian motioned to Batgirl and Oracle, and the former nodded.

Dick was already heading for the roof, his limbs aching and his head ringing and still with a wide smile plastered to his face. The scent of rain was greater than ever, and the wind was blissfully cold against his sweat-soaked bangs. It was still technically winter in this dimension, having only just entered the month of March. At the moment, he was thankful for this.

_It's summer in my dimension_.

Well, he wasn't in his dimension right now, was he? Dick landed on the familiar roof a little unsteadily, and then decided that it would probably be smart to sit down for a moment. He walked a few paces before plopping down wearily.

Batgirl and Damian appeared together, although Batgirl's usual cheerfulness was gone. The blond seemed to be listening to someone through her cowl. Dick guessed Batman or maybe even Red Robin considering she had made several mentions of him so far. After a moment, she cleared her throat. "Red Robin said he heard from Red Hood earlier. Hood went to Blüdhaven to keep an eye out while Nightwing is here in Gotham, and…" She paused, gritting her teeth together in frustration. "Apparently the whole city has been zombified like Central City, and Mirror Master was _there_ instead of in Gotham."

"_Bl__üdhaven_? In the Midwest, Central City had the zombies, and it was a diversion to get the Flash idiots out of Keystone City." Damian deadpanned. "Ah. He switched it and added the elements of his attack on Star City to create further confusion."

Well, well. A villain who knew not to stick to one plan. He was smarter than many of the moronic bad guys that seemed to be running around these days. "He wanted us to waste our time in Gotham because he knew we would assume that he was using the zombies to try and draw us out of the city he really wanted. He was expecting us to react based on his previous attacks," Dick finished.

"Batman had a suspicion. He sent Flash and Impulse to Blüdhaven after Hood, but they found him too late. Mirror Master had already gotten away." Batgirl shook her head, and Dick could see that her fists were shaking. "I'm going back down to help Oracle and the police before we check in with Batman. You two stay out of sight, okay?"

She didn't even try to goad a farewell out of Damian before she disappeared over the edge of the roof.

::…::

A few hours after the scuffle in the street had ended, Wayne Manor was still surprisingly empty. Dick swept his hastily towel-dried hair from his forehead, unable to hold back a sigh. What a night. He hadn't actually expected it to be a total failure. Sleep sounded great right about now. The teenager closed the door to the bathroom, running his tongue over freshly brushed teeth absently. _Oh, God, bed. Now_. It was only a few more steps until he reached the door to his temporary room, and yes!

No.

There was already someone there.

"Damian, do you need something?" Other than apparently satisfying the need to dump Dick's boxes of clothing on the floor, that is. Dick wasn't sure if he even wanted to know. He was tired, he ached, and he was still in another dimension, and it was beginning to bother him that that was not at the top of his list of problems at the moment.

The ten-year-old was lying on the edge of the queen sized bed, looking even smaller than he usually did, which was a feat in its own right. His blue eyes were concentrated on the ceiling, his arms crossed nonchalantly under his head. "I don't _need_ anything, Grayson. I simply have a few questions."

A cut on the boy's arm had been left unattended, which meant Damian had not returned to Alfred like he had said he would. The butler had been upon them within seconds of reaching the manor, but Damian had managed to slip away. "Or maybe Alfred is lurking in the hall near your room waiting to stitch you up."

Damian's expression clearly said that topic was not open for discussion. "You are not planning on staying here, are you? You are going to try and go back to your own world."

Dick noted the sudden care that the younger boy was taking in choosing his words. He plopped onto the other side of the bed, sitting Indian style with his back to the backboard. "I need to go back. I have a team back home waiting for me. And Batman! I'm the only kid he has running around the place over there." Which only brought him to the question of whether time would pass at the same rate in his own dimension as it did here. _Oh, great_.

"You're the first kid to come here through the rift."

"Really."

"That we know of. There's always the possibility of someone coming through without us knowing about it."

"Was there a point here?"

Damian didn't answer.

The electronic device Damian had been fiddling with before they left the manor earlier that night was settled on the kid's chest. Dick leaned over and grabbed the device, examining the foreign design before flipping the power switch. He snorted when he realized what Damian had been doing. "What does the demon child of Batman do in his free time? Play _chess_?"

"That insufferable Gordon woman swears that computer is unbeatable. I'll show her, whether she's the damned Oracle or not."

"I like her," Dick said absently, prodding the cream-colored pieces across the board. The opposing side reacted immediately after each move, and it only took a few seconds before the dark queen and a bishop had his king in a checkmate. _Meh. See what happens when I'm actually trying_. He tossed it back to Damian, who caught it.

"You _would_ like her." Damian snorted as he placed the chess system back on his chest and tucked his arm back under his head. "You are just like him. Do you not know how to fight with your mouth closed? I don't think it is possible for you to spend five minutes doing anything without talking."

There was a difference between choosing to do something and not being able to do something. Maybe Damian did not understand that. "Talking keeps my opponent on edge, makes him frustrated." Dick smirked. "And it helps me concentrate."

"You just like the sound of your own voice."

"Sort of like someone else in this room."

The ten-year-old grimaced. "Touché."

_I knew we would get along awesomely_. Dick grabbed one of the decorative throw pillows and tossed it at the other boy. "Hey, you. Go see Alfred. He'll be too busy with the others later."

"Grayson." Damian's voice was muffled by the pillow, which had landed on his face. "I have no need for Pennyworth's prodding." Then he knocked the pillow on the floor before yawning. "By the way, what was that about the word 'lollygag'? On the street?"

What was he talking ab- Oh, that. Dick shrugged, fighting back a yawn of his own. "Dunno, I just don't like it. It doesn't make any sense. How does either 'lolly' or 'gagging' have anything to do with not doing anything? It just sounds like it's implying someone's choking on candy."

"Never mind, I shouldn't have asked. Idiot." With each word Damian's voice got softer until the last was barely audible, and his eyes hadn't opened since that last yawn. Seems Dick wasn't the only one who needed some sleep.

Dick looked to the open door, of half a mind to find Alfred. Damian hadn't received anything more than a few very minor cuts and bruises, but it was the principle of the matter. No one was declared officially hale and hearty until Alfred said so. It would set Alfred's mind at ease, if nothing else. He got to his feet as carefully and quietly as he could manage.

He looked back to Damian for a moment as a thought struck him. _Little adopted brother, huh? And he's just_ one _of them_._ I wonder how long it will be before I meet all of these people in my dimension. If we meet_. Dick shook his head, attributing his headache to the blow he took to the temple earlier that night.

The halls were still mostly quiet, but that was to be expected. If the others were beginning to arrive, they would be down in the cave still. The closest entrance was an old bookcase in one of the many unused rooms, and Dick unrolled his long sleeves to cover the bandages on his left arm. Thankfully, none of his injuries couldn't be easily hidden from view.

Dick crept into the Batcave. It looked like the bulk of the group was still gone… He could see Wally, Bart, and Jason, but none of the others. Alfred was tending to Jason, whose leg seemed in bad shape, while the other two lingered nearby.

Then, from a tunnel on the other side of the cave, Richard and Roy suddenly entered, and both looked the worse for wear.

Alfred obviously had his hands full now. Dick turned back the way he had come, covering another monstrous yawn.

He had not been able to help, but, in a way, he hadn't really expected to do much. However, he had thought that, in the end, Batman would have wrapped this case up on his own. Tonight had been a failure.

For all of them.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:<br>**Despite this being a chapter for Damian, my favorite part turned out to be the YJ bit with Wally and Megan. As for our villain problem in the AU, it's just the beginning, so Dick (and the others) will have better luck in the future.

This Batgirl is, of course, Stephanie Brown. Cass is going by Black Bat these days. I sincerely hope you know who the Oracle and Red Hood are (if you don't, you get a sad face like this 8( ). Anyway, I'm officially moving to Saturday/Sunday updates because I just started working twelve hour shifts on Fridays and I'll just forget to update like I did this past Friday.

_Word of the Day  
>(Suggested for you by Boyfriend)<em>  
>lollygag (<em>v<em>.): to loiter aimlessly (not in any way related to choking on candy)


	4. Just a Kid

**City of Wayne  
>Rating:<strong> T  
><strong>Info:<strong> OFFICIAL DC REBOOT NEWS. WHAT. WHAT. And a rockin' twenty-first! Oh, am I writing a fanfic? Sorry, let's get back to that. I suck at updating! Now, you get an oddly nice Batman, a Batman who don't take yo' crap, and a lonely Superboy.  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> No significant OC's (the insignificant ones were in the last chapter), so nothing belongs to me.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Four: Kid Stuff<strong>

Superboy was alone.

Throughout the night and the previous evening, the mountain had been a flurry of activity as Justice League members gathered to pore over the information continually being sent from heroes in Blüdhaven. Superman never made an appearance, and, though he knew it was because the Man of Steel was in the field, Superboy had known that his older counterpart would not show.

Now, the older heroes had either returned to the Watch Tower or were out with Batman and Martian Manhunter. Megan had never returned, and Wally had only passed through momentarily around midnight before disappearing again. Superboy didn't know where Artemis and Kaldur were.

The mountain was silent save for the soft crackle of the television as snow flooded the screen.

What he should have been doing was spending time with Robin and Wally. Megan and Artemis had originally planned on taking a "girl's night out" before the incident in Blüdhaven had derailed that plan, and therefore the two younger boys had volunteered to stay the night in Mount Justice to keep him company. That was going well.

Superboy tore his gaze away from the television, his earlier frustration rising. What was he doing just sitting here? One of the team was missing, and he was sitting on the couch with nothing better to do.

"_Recognized: Batman, 02. Red Tornado, 16._"

Well, wasn't that a surprise. He toyed with the idea of leaving the television on and ignoring them, but the restlessness was almost unbearable. Normally, he was content to have the mountain to himself. This, however, was driving him half mad. Superboy quickly hit the power button on the remote and padded toward the main entrance.

"J'onn will be returning to the Watch Tower to research the possibility of dimensional travel caused by the given conditions. An associate of mine is locating l'Oranaise as we speak."

That was Batman. From the sounds of it, they had made some progress. Dimensional travel? Well, now things were beginning to make at least a little bit of sense. Sort of. Not really. If only there were some way he could help them…

"-and he should come into the open instead of listening from around corners."

Superboy started when he realized that his fingers were curled around the edge of the corner. _They saw me…_ Setting his jaw, Superboy stepped around the corner. "Do you know how to find Robin?"

It was Red Tornado that answered. "It is a work in progress. The League is doing everything in its power to find him."

"I want to help."

Batman's scowl was more menacing than usual for obvious reasons, but his expression softened ever so slightly at Superboy's declaration. "Good. That is why I am here. Tomorrow I will be paying a visit to a man that will hopefully be able to answer our questions. I have already asked Kaldur'ahm and M'gann to accompany me, and it would be beneficial to have you along as well."

Superboy nodded curtly, but beneath his blank façade he was both relieved and almost happy. He really should trust the Justice League, especially since his teammates did, but in a way he felt that involving Young Justice brought the chances of finding Robin up exponentially. Robin himself idolized Superman… Superboy saw five certain teenagers as his own heroes to look up to. After all, they had been at his side when the Justice League had had no idea what to do with him.

As Superboy turned away to hopefully catch a least a short nap before morning, a hand on his shoulder stopped him. Batman. _What does he want now? I already said I would go_…

"You are beyond even your physical years, kid. Cadmus did not give you the compassion and wisdom you have. They are yours. Thank you for being willing to use them to find your teammate."

The teenager stared, incredulous and at a loss until Batman released him. He forced another, albeit mechanical, nod before backing away a couple steps and slowly retreating down the nearest corridor. It had been meant as praise, and he should feel proud, happy. Instead, it only made him feel all the more isolated and confused. If even Batman could say something like that, why couldn't…? _No. Not now_.

Very faintly, when he was practically almost to his room, Superboy heard Batman's voice once again: "What? It's what Superman would have said."

::…::

The schools of Gotham City were closed due to the attacks from the night before, which had been city-wide. Still, here it was seven o'clock in the morning, and the youngest members of the Wayne household were already wide awake.

Dick knew because he could hear them whispering outside his room.

"What are you talking about?"

As soon as the door opened, both Tim and Damian jumped, though the younger boy had the grace to skirt around his adopted brother and make the action seem intentional. Tim shot Damian an exasperated glare before looking back to Dick. "We didn't know if you were up or not. Thought we should just leave you alone since you know your way around and everything."

"_I_ knew he was awake. Besides, Pennyworth has already served breakfast and if Grayson is half the swine Richard is, he would not want to miss a meal."

Dick watched, amused, as Tim's expression shifted from slightly annoyed to borderline horrified. "Omigod, how hard did you hit your head last night?"

The ten-year-old stared at Tim for a moment. "What are you talking about? _That_ idiot is the one that took the hit to the skull."

_It's almost like he cares_. Dick laughed and held up a hand to stop whatever it was Tim was about to say. "Alfred came by half an hour ago and told me about breakfast." And to watch out for the demon child since Damian had apparently been sneaking about since they were not getting ready for classes. "You two can stay here and argue if you want, but I'm going to eat."

Apparently they didn't have enough energy for any more bickering, and Dick was glad. If they did, he wouldn't know how to keep up. He was still tired as hell considering how little sleep he got. Still, sleeping in was not going to make him feel any better. Dick didn't even bother fighting a yawn as he heard the pair of Waynes follow after him.

"Dad knows you two were out last night," Tim said suddenly. "He's probably still out, but I'd watch out when he gets back." Dick glanced back quickly enough to see Tim turn down a hall to the right.

"Drake, that coward. Two years of living in this house, and he still fears lectures from Father." Damian watched his adopted brother from the corner of his eye until Tim disappeared from view.

Dick thought back to the evening before and what Bart had said –mistakenly, of course- about him being the second addition to the family in a year. As he was the youngest of the adopted kids and because he had been paired with Bruce when on the streets, Dick had assumed Tim was the newest member. "How did everyone get here? I mean, why did Bruce adopt so many kids?"

"Bleeding heart," Damian said flatly. "A circus orphan, a street thug, a runaway, and a pathetic kid with daddy issues." He paused for a moment, squaring his shoulders before adding, "Though, I doubt he would have let me stay if he were any different."

"But you're so personable."

Damian's glare was more exasperated than anything else, and he reached over his shoulder as if groping for his hood. Except he was wearing a t-shirt. The ten-year-old grunted and flung his arm back to his side. "He didn't even know I _existed_ until last year. Mother wanted me to continue my training here, but he and I have not even had a proper sparring match since I've arrived. I've seen more of _Richard_ than Father and he does not even live in this house."

The Bruce he knew was not the easiest person to bond with when not wearing a mask, but he had his ways of showing that he cared. Even Dick could see that much. But, Damian was implying that this Bruce was all but absent in the lives of the kids. Maybe it was because Damian was the only one not currently working on the streets?

The sound of raised voices broke that train of thought, and Dick looked to Damian before taking the last few strides to the dining room entrance at a sprint. The door was closed. That was definitely Richard…

"Ohh, let's watch." Damian shoved Dick aside and carefully cracked the door open. "And so early in the morning, too. I wasn't expecting the first row until at least noon."

Dick, looking over Damian's head, spotted Richard first as the older teenager was standing halfway between the table and the door. Beyond, at his seat at the head of the table, sat Bruce with a plate of untouched food in front of him. Unlike Richard, who had his back turned to them, Bruce spotted the door's slight movement immediately and his already stony expression hardened even further.

"-had known, you could have, I don't know, _told_ me." Richard's voice bordered on a barely constrained shout, and he sliced a hand viciously through the air for emphasis. "He isn't the indestructible little soldier Talia told you he was! There didn't need to be all that sneaking around. I wouldn't have had to hear from _Barbara_ that he was in downtown Gotham when a thousand maniacs suddenly invaded the city!"

Bruce took a deep draught from his glass of water before meeting Richard's eye. He was tense yet calm, expression unreadable. "You would have been distracted. Besides, he's been on the streets without you before."

"He was with Stephanie then."

"Which is where he was last night," Bruce said sharply. "Don't think I don't know what has been going on in this house for the past year. He was violent, dangerous and unfit to wear a mask when he first came here."

Dick put a hand on Damian's arm, but the younger boy shrugged him off. _Bruce knows we're here, so why is he saying that? Bit blunt there, man._

"But." Bruce's steady gaze kept Richard in check long enough for the older man to continue. "His time with you has changed that. I had to goad the truth out of Alfred to figure out how he'd improved so much. And by improved, I'm not talking about the advanced acrobatics that he continually used to try and ambush me when he thought I wasn't expecting it." Here his expression lightened slightly. "I trusted him enough to know he would not only be safe with Stephanie last night, but that he would handle himself as one of us. I wasn't wrong."

Just as those words left Bruce's mouth, Damian shoved the door open with enough force that it rammed into the wall and sent a tremor through the floor. The ten-year-old planted himself in the doorway proper, arms snapping across his chest as he focused on Bruce and ignored the startled Richard. "Ha! Why did you think the first place I would go would be to _Fatgirl_? It's painfully clear that between the two of us, she is far inferior as a vigilante."

"You were texting someone just before dinner, and because Richard, Jason, and Cassandra were all in the room at the time, the only other possible candidate was Stephanie." Bruce then turned his attention back to his food, picking up his fork wearily. He suddenly looked more tired than all of his kids combined.

Damian's rebuttal died in single strangled, unintelligible syllable. "That's not true," he managed after a moment, halfheartedly.

"I also had Cass check when she took your mobile away. You were clearly setting up a meeting."

_Oh, burn. Point to Batman_. Dick noted that the tension was slowly beginning to diffuse between Bruce's calm handling of the situation and Richard's sudden, thoughtful silence. Good. _Why is there so much fighting in this family? It's seven o'clock in the morning and everyone's wiped out, but they still have time to go at each other's throats_.

"Food is in the kitchen, keeping warm," Bruce said. "Alfred is with Jason, so help yourselves."

Richard's expression clearly said that their conversation was not over, but one look at Damian made him sigh. "Right, you two, breakfast."

This was the perfect opportunity. Instead of following the two brothers, Dick inched toward the table and settled his hands on the back of a chair. He had never seen Bruce –well, his Bruce, at least- look so worn out, so completely defeated. Because of that, he was almost hesitant to add even more burden, but it needed to be said. "I'm not staying," Dick said firmly as the other two disappeared into the kitchen. "I don't care what I have to do to get help in finding a way back. Heck, I'll even run the gauntlet again if that's what it takes for you to trust me enough to work as an equal and not some kid. I've done it before."

Bruce took another bite of his scrambled eggs as he silently examined the thirteen-year-old. "At the moment, I don't have time for the gauntlet. The only reason I'm eating in my own dining room is because Alfred insisted." His frowned deepened as he noted Dick's growing frustration. "Besides, the rift is unpredictable. No one has been able to understand how it works or how to reverse the effects."

"Even the Justice League? Superman? Zatara? J'onn and Wonder Woman?" If Batman himself could not understand it, then maybe it was more in the area of expertise of those who were less technically-minded. Dick's grip on the chair tightened. "I know you have your own problems, but so does my own world and the Bruce Wayne there. If Richard was stuck there, we would do everything we could to get him back here."

At that, Bruce dropped his fork again. "None of those people are in the Justice League anymore," he said, voice deadly calm.

What. Dick stared blankly even as Richard and Damian returned, trying and failing to picture the League without any of them, Superman especially. And he had said "anymore", so what had happened? A falling out, perhaps? Or maybe…

Richard placed a plate in front of Dick, who started at the sound as it clinked onto the wooden surface. "What's going on here?"

Ignoring Richard, Bruce got to his feet. "Even if I did have time for the gauntlet, you would not run it. I don't know anything about you. For now, you are here because you are without home or family. You are here as a refugee, not as a vigilante."

"But that's what I am, and I think Oracle and Batgirl would back me up on this. I've spent the last five years proving that to you, the _other_ you. I'm not just some kid."

"How's your head feeling?"

This asshat. That had been a fluke, a small mistake!

"If it's really that important, I can supervise the gauntlet," Richard said.

Bruce's stoic expression failed for the slightest moment, but it was back full force in an instant. "No. Just because he is 'you' does not mean he is qualified, and, like the rest of us, you don't have an entire night to devote to it."

"Wally, Roy, and Ollie are willing to stay and help, not to mention several of your people from the corporation are coming, too. We have plenty of people. I can take a day shift and watch him that night."

"I will help," Damian said, slipping between Dick and Richard to claim a seat between them. "Obviously a gauntlet against Nightwing isn't the same as it is against Batman, but with _me_ I think it evens the field."

"No."

There was no way he would be able to get back by himself, but Bruce would not even take him seriously, let alone allow him to work with other heroes to find a way back. Dick took a deep breath, feeling his frustration rise. "Even if the city hadn't been torn half to hell last night, you still wouldn't let me run it, would you?"

There was some emotion Bruce's expression that Dick couldn't identify, though a small part of his mind immediately identified it as pity. "No, I wouldn't. It would be time wasted."

_Time wasted? Why that... He doesn't even know me and he thinks I'm a waste of time? That- What, I don't even-_

"I'm trying to change all that," Richard snapped at once. "If we ignore him like this, treat him as a lost cause, how can we expect anything different? Maybe if he has an established place here, we can stop it from happening at all. I've tried helping all of them, from the very beginning, even after you stopped caring. But, Bruce, this is a kid, and we can't just let it happen all over again."

In the following silence, Damian looked to Dick and for once his frown was more concerned than condescending.

"I never stopped caring," Bruce said slowly. "There only came a choice between giving time to aiding those who pleaded for help and those who didn't want it. I knew I could rely on you to concentrate on them when I could not."

"Well, I'm asking for help right now." Dick felt his jaw tighten when this garnered no reaction. "Please."

The three of them teaming against Bruce felt wrong, and even moreso considering there was a key element Dick was missing. He had a fairly good idea what Richard was talking about, but was it really that problematic? The day before, he had said that every person who had come through the rift had been drawn back to it. And, of course, there had been Jason saying that Dick would not be around very long. Back to the endless possibilities of why no one ever stayed…

Finally Bruce took a deep breath and shook his head. "The gauntlet will have to wait a few days, but if that is what you are set on, then do it. And, though he can stay here, you will have to take responsibility for him, Richard. Also, we are leaving in half an hour to relieve Oliver and Wally."

"I _will_ be helping with the gauntlet," Damian said, looking up to Richard with a smirk.

"You will be confined to the mansion for the weekend finishing your school project." Bruce's words were final, and he picked up his plate before heading to the kitchen.

Dick sank into the chair, feeling even more exhausted than he could have thought possible. And, though his mind told him that he probably didn't want to know, there was something he needed to know… "What happened to all the others? I mean, I know they went back to the rift, but why?" Vaguely the picture of a magnetic pull came to mind, sending all the displaced travelers hurtling across the city and back into the rift. _Ek. Bad thoughts_._ When Richard said it was something they couldn't ignore, I don't think that's what he meant_.

"It's best you don't know," Richard said, settling into his own seat.

Damian climbed over the arm of his own chair and perched on the edge as he had on the banister the night before. "Who cares, anyway. They're all gone now." He picked up his fork to poke tentatively at a pancake on his plate and grimaced. "More importantly, what happened last night? You and Harper looked absolutely dreadful earlier this morning."

Honestly, Richard still looked a mess. Dick had had his share of beatings before, but his bruises had never looked nearly this impressive. _He and Roy must have been overwhelmed_.

"Barbara said downtown was attacked by the usual scum, your usual street thugs and crazies. In our district… I don't think I've ever seen so many metahumans in one place. Metahumans and the Gotham elite wearing their best jewels as they auctioned off last year's goods. At the gala alone, I have no idea how we managed to avoid any civilian casualties."

From there, Dick stopped listening. _Looks like they're not going to be answering any questions any time soon. Fine. I'll just have to find someone else who will get straight to the point_.

And he knew exactly who that would be.

::…::

Dick had heard that dogs with less than friendly temperaments were nothing short of beasts when injured. At the moment that analogy seemed to fit well with a certain teenager.

"I don't need a damn cast! I was fine with the splint! Where's my knife?"

Alfred stared at the glowering Jason, completely unabashed. "I had young Allen take your more dangerous tools upstairs and out of your reach when you began to awaken."

Which was probably very smart. Dick watched from behind a case of suits and wondered if he should wait a little longer before trying to reason with Jason. He didn't worry for his own safety, but he was worried that Alfred would be very upset with him if he further menaced Jason. _Oh, whatever. It's not like Jason can get any angrier than he already is_.

Jason spotted Dick immediately, and his eyes narrowed. "You, go upstairs and find Tim. Tell him his little bastard friend had better bring back my knife or I'll-"

"That is quite enough," Alfred said sharply.

_Just don't poke the bear_. Dick hopped onto the hospital bed beside Jason, deliberating keep his gaze on the various oddities scattered about the cave, the giant penny in particular. "I'll keep an eye on him for you, Alfred. I don't really have anything else to do."

"Yeah, the little Richard can watch me."

That Cheshire grin of Jason's could not fool Alfred, but the butler looked from one teenager to the other before giving a small shake of the head. "You are to rest, Master Jason. I will not see you wandering about. Will I?"

"No, sir!" Dick said automatically, plowing over Jason's response as he gave Jason's side a jab with his elbow.

Alfred gave them one last skeptical look before turning away. "I will hold you to that, Master Dick."

_This won't be too hard_. Suddenly something grabbed him, and the world tilted violently until the floor flooded his vision. "Agh, hey, stop! Jason!"

The older teenager snorted, holding Dick in a firm headlock that threatened to tip the younger boy off the bed. "'Keep an eye on me', huh? Good job so far. You weren't even paying attention." He then released Dick, who grabbed his arm to keep from falling.

_Okay, I didn't poke the bear. I kind of punched it_. Dick glared, but held back a retort. He was here for a reason, and instigating something would not get him answers. "I want to ask you something. About the others who came through the rift. What exactly happened to them?"

At once, Jason's brevity melted. "You just came down here to ask me because no one else will tell you."

Not completely true considering he had only asked two people so far. He just didn't have the patience to bother with the other people that would have given him similar excuses. Dick shrugged. "You don't seem like the sort of person to sugar coat things, and I'm not in the mood for sweets. Besides, I already figured your leg was broken, so I thought you might appreciate some company."

"It's only fractured. And, you know what assuming does."

"I do?"

"Christ."

"I don't think that's a valid answer to that question."

Jason shook his head with a chuckle, raising a hand to massage his temple. "Never mind. I heard you and the brat are buddies now, so why don't you ask him? He's not big on that coat of sugar, either."

No, but Damian had very obviously avoided the subject, which was no better. It looked like Jason was going to simply do the same, though. "I think I have a right to know, being one of them and all. Me being a kid doesn't change anything."

"Look, _kid_, I think you have enough problems right now. Just like I do. It's best for everyone if I don't tell you." All at once, his voice lowered to a clear warning, and Dick realized he had hit upon a chord.

_I thought Richard had been joking, but what if he had been right? About the girl? Yeah, if that's true, he probably isn't in the mood to mess with me._ Of course that's the way it would be. It would have been too easy otherwise. Dick scooted backward until his back touched the cave wall. "Oh, so _you_ have problems? Like what?"

"Besides having to put up with smart ass children? None of your business."

"Your comebacks suck."

Dick shot off the bed and was out of reach even before Jason reached to grab him.

"Get out of here! You must be practically part of the family already, anyway. I don't want to see your face." Jason's scowl threatened bodily harm to anyone that came within reach.

That anger did not match the insult. That was too much. There had to be something else that had made him snap, but Dick couldn't fathom what it was.

"Go on! Your _brothers_ are probably wondering where you wandered off to."

Oh, wait, wait. The spite, the uncontained hatred in that one word sparked a thought. "I think you're exaggerating a little." Dick inched slightly closer, as unthreatening as he could manage. "Damian only warmed up to me because he's so close to Richard." Which he was mostly guessing from the fact that Damian did not call anyone by their first name except for Richard, and because of the offhand comments about the oldest brother that Damian had made. Still, it seemed probable. "I think Richard just wants to finally help someone that gets stuck here. Cassandra has said all of one syllable to me since I've been here, and Tim…" Well, Tim obviously did not get along well with Damian, and the other sibling closest to him in age was Cassandra, who had not really been around. "Maybe he was just kind of excited to have someone his age to nerd out to. We geeks have to do that every once and a while, you know."

"Don't expect me to get all friendly with you just because you're fitting in so well."

"Says the guy with orange eyebrows in a family of people with black hair."

Jason glared at him, and Dick had no doubt that if his leg were not in the bulky cast, Jason would have tackled him. "I'm not going to tell you anything about the rift. Stop wasting my time and get the hell out of here."

"Wasting your time? You're not even doing anything." Besides, that choice of words still stung a bit after that encounter with Bruce. Dick blew his bangs from his forehead as he thought his next words through. "Besides, I already told you that you need some company. See, I'll sit here to stay out your bubble of personal space." Instead of taking the nearby chair, Dick plopped onto the floor right where he had been standing.

Any snappish comment was overridden by a thoughtful silence. Jason looked down at Dick warily. "Persistent, aren't you?"

"Let me guess, just like Richard?"

"Yeah. Are you as clingy and obnoxious as he is?"

"I'm not any more obnoxious than you're being."

"Oh, dear me," Jason said flatly. "A kid who can keep up. Good for you." He gingerly settled his fractured leg on the bed and sighed, blue eyes narrowed. "Kind of makes me feel bad knowing what's going to happen. What always happens."

"What? What happens?" _Finally! Please, tell me!_ Why bring it up if he was just going to blow it off again?

Jason shrugged. "Dunno. Doctors couldn't find anything wrong with them, neurologists said they were perfectly fine. Arkham said they were going bat shit, but they say that about everybody. It's creepy. Reason doesn't mean anything anymore."

Well, that was… helpful. Dick mulled this over for a moment before the panic began to rise again. "Are you saying I'm going to go crazy? Why? It just happens? Does something cause it?"

"I didn't say anything about crazy."

"Yeah, you just said 'bat shit', what's the difference?" There wasn't one, that's what. Oh, crap, now he really had to find a way back soon. If he waited too long, he could still make it back, but they would have to put him in the asylum as soon as he got there!

"Hey, _listen_. That's not what I said. Jesus, you're getting worked up over nothing." Jason pulled a crushed box of cigarettes from his pants pocket and began fishing about for a lighter. "Don't worry about it, it's not a big deal. Really. You're what? Twelve? You've got your whole life ahead of you, so don't worry about it."

What was with them being so insistent on seeing him only as a child? Richard and Bruce both, and now Jason, too, though that was likely just the older teenager being spiteful. As they should know, growing up in this sort of life forced one to grow up quickly.

"Richard and Damian are going to supervise my run of the gauntlet." For the first time, Dick considered the possibility that the gauntlet may not be the simple game of cat-and-mouse that it was in his dimension. Not that it mattered too much. He was confident that he could pass any sort of obstacles they threw at him.

"So, you've had training?" Jason was still fruitlessly searching for a lighter, his brows knit together. Finally, he tossed the cigarettes to the side with a growl. "Hey, come here."

Did he really look that stupid? "No."

"I just need your help with something. Worst you'll get is a concussion, I promise."

_Wait, because he can't smoke he wants me to let him bash my head in? Is that what he's saying?_ Dick gaped, half appalled and half intrigued. How did that work exactly? "Why would I want a concussion?"

Jason rolled his eyes and hopped one-legged to the ground, clenching his jaw as the shock jarred his injured leg. "Alright, fine, just a fair fight, then. I'll see if you're ready for the gauntlet."

"Your leg's practically broken," Dick said wryly, rolling away and somersaulting to his feet when Jason drew too near for comfort.

The older teenager glanced around, wide-eyed as if in disbelief. "Oh, _really_ now? You'll have to be sure to tell that to everyone when they ask who kicked your ass." He tentatively put weight on his weak leg, a slightly pained smirk forming on his lips as he saw it was able to hold his weight. "Right. Ready?"

* * *

><p><strong>AN:<br>**I won't go on a rant about my (many) opinions of what DC announced throughout last week except for this: Bruce as Batman + Damian as Robin = crap. Why must you deprive us of the chance to see the Bat Fam making Damian be Flamebird, DC? I've temporarily deluded myself into thinking it's because the warmer color schemes would clash since Nightwing blue is now gone (at least they didn't change the name to Red Wing or something). Also, we need to know where Cass and Steph are. And Wally. And _Donna_.

Next chapter will focus mostly on YJ, but in the AU Dick will get the chance to spend more time with Jason and Cass (her alias "Black Bat" belongs to DC, by the way, so don't sue me for any confusion).


	5. The Madness of L'Oranaise

**City of Wayne  
>Rating:<strong> T  
><strong>Info: <strong>I was in a pretty bad car accident back in June. The stupid girl that hit me was driving a truck and I have a moped. I'll let you do the math on that and just say that I'm back to my usual updating (which, though dodgy, is better than a month of no updates). On that note, this chapter is kind of short and kind of filler when it isn't important (it's my least favorite chapter so far).  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> There is a minor OC in this chapter (making his first of two appearances). Nothing else belongs to me.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Five: The Madness of L'Oranaise<strong>

The thought of attacking an injured person –even simply in self-defense- did not sit well with Dick, especially when said person was currently under the care of Alfred. That was why he was currently sitting Indian-style on top of a case that held a black and red suit, watching as Jason rummaged around for something to throw at him. _I wish the others were here_. Dick settled his elbows on his legs, a wave of homesickness seeping through his apprehension.

Dick leaned to the side and a shoe sailed past his head. _I bet Megan and Kaldur could get Jason to calm down in ten seconds flat_. His forehead smacked against the cool case surface as he ducked under the offending path of a metal fork. _What about Superboy? Probably just give him a good whack to the head and let him sleep it off_. He easily caught the abused box of cigarettes aimed at his chest and glanced over the edge of the case with a raised eyebrow. "Dude, are you even trying?"

"Nah. Just wondering how long it will take before you get tired of having things thrown at you and decide to come back down."

It took a lot for a person to get under his skin, but Jason was well on his way to doing just that. _You want a fight, doofus, I'm not stupid._ And he had no interest in a fight at the moment. At least with Damian, he could force the ten-year-old to back off with a few choice words or an affectionate ruffle of the hair. Jason was relentless.

"Come on, Dick, if you're too scared to stand up to little ol' me, what makes you think you can run the gauntlet?"

"I'm not scared of you. Maybe of Alfred if I finish the job on that leg, but not you."

Jason grimaced. "Psh. You couldn't if you tried."

Don't push it.

"How pathetic can you get? You're a coward, a worthless little kid. What do you want from us? I knew we should have thrown you back through. Maybe you'll go somewhere where you're actually wanted. Maybe you'll actually have parents or someth-"

Dick vaulted off the case with a scowl, but it took every ounce of self-restraint to keep from tackling Jason. "Don't you get it? I get along with everyone because I'm not a jerk like you." He took advantage of Jason's shocked, indignant moment of uncertainty to step within range of the older boy. Dick snorted. "Trust me, when I find a way to get home, I'll be _glad_ to leave." With that, he turned away.

An arm snaked around his neck, and Dick all but cackled as Jason tugged him back into a headlock. Typical street delinquent.

"I'll be glad to see you gone."

"I would let me go." Before Jason could pull the inevitable first punch, Dick twisted his left leg behind Jason's right –and thankfully uninjured- one and gave the taller teenager a quick elbow to the abdomen just before thrusting all of his weight backward.

Jason let loose a string of expletives as he stumbled over Dick's leg, sending both of them to the floor.

Jason's arm kept the back of his head from hitting the floor too hard, but Dick snarled his own choice words when the vice around his neck tightened rather than loosened. _He must have expected that. Duck your chin, need to breathe!_ "Hey… Knock it… off!"

"Stop."

The pressure intensified for a split second before Jason's arm suddenly released him. Dick sat up immediately, coughing. _That's Cassandra_. He would have to thank her when he stopped trying to hack up a lung.

The slender Asian girl crouched in front of them, her brown eyes flitting between the two. "Alfred said you would be trouble." Her gaze finally settled on Jason as he pushed himself upright. "What's going on here?"

"Nothing, Cass."

"We were just training. I asked Jason to help me out."

Jason gave him an odd look at that, but Dick ignored him. He had already caused enough damage here, and, truthfully, he felt a bit sorry for Jason. The guy had a whole family there for him, but was so horribly insecure about his own place there… Creating problems between Jason and Cassandra would only serve to make Dick feel even worse for staying with this family. _Just go with it, moron. I'm not asking for much here_.

Cassandra examined the thirteen-year-old for a long moment before the corner of his mouth lifted ever so slightly. "Why don't I help you?" She stood and extended both hands, one to each of them. "Jason has had a very long night."

She was able to easily tug them to their feet, and Dick noted out of the corner of his eye that the adopted siblings' fingertips lingered in contact a moment longer than was necessary. Cassandra seemed to get along quite well with Damian, maybe she was the same with Jason? At the very least, Jason did not look too keen on dealing any bodily harm to anyone at the moment.

Dick watched the pair as Cassandra followed Jason as he hobbled back to the hospital bed, lingering close enough to help if she were needed but far enough away to give the impression that Jason needed no aid. She wore a form-fitting suit, entirely black save for a now familiar, blazing yellow symbol, and an eared cowl was folded at the back of her neck. _She must have just gotten back… And she wants to _train_? I don't think that's good. Or fair_. "Um, we don't have to train if you don't want to. You look kind of tired and all."

As Jason hopped back onto the bed and the two exchanged a few hushed words, a smile was forming on her lips. Then, Cassandra looked at him. "It's not me you should be worrying over."

::…::

Boston was a nice city, much tamer than the other mainland cities that Kaldur had visited before. Even this narrow, slightly dilapidated little street felt more welcoming than run down despite the obvious neglect. The Atlantean noticed that Superboy and M'gann were also observing their surroundings with more keenness than usual. Sadly, they were not here as tourists. Kaldur looked back to the aged, scarlet door before him and took a deep breath. _Here goes_.

The door cracked opened before Kaldur could knock, and a pale face snaked through the small opening. Wide, wary eyes examined the three teenagers and the thin fingers curled around the door were shaking.

After a moment of silence, Kaldur offered a gentle smile. No doubt this was the man they were looking for. From the pictures they had seen earlier in the day, he could easily identify the shallow, gray eyes and the rather generously sized nose. However, he had not been expecting the terrified, skeletal being that they were now faced with. This man looked many years older than the one from the photos, despite them having been recent. "Hello. We are looking for Dr. l'Oranaise."

"I'm he. What do you want?" The voice was low, a mere rasp that sounded more like a sigh than anything else. The man retreated ever so slightly, the gaunt face veiled by the gray shadows of the dark apartment.

"We have a few questions to ask you." Though Kaldur made certain that his tone was as kind as possible, there was no mistaking the subtle hint that there was no choice in the matter. This was his mission, his duty to his team… He was down one member, and this cowering man was possibly their only source of any useful information.

A few long, painfully silent seconds passed before the door creaked further open. L'Oranaise regarded the three with almost resentful suspicion before stepping aside. "Come in. I will answer what I can."

_And why do I have a feeling that what comes next will be much more difficult?_ Kaldur beckoned for Superboy and M'gann to follow as he stepped into the dark apartment. The hard wood floor of the main room was cool against his bare feet, and light flickered meekly from an ancient lamp nestled in the corner. Across the room was the dining table, but its entire surface was obscured by a stacks of notebooks and loose sheets of paper.

"At least you don't cover your faces," the doctor grumbled, shutting the door and shuffling past the teenagers. "Sit wherever. Might as well get this over with as quickly as possible."

As M'gann and Superboy settled onto a nearby couch, Kaldur waited for l'Oranaise to sit. His bright eyes watched the frail doctor like a hawk until the man sat in an ancient rocking chair, and Kaldur then chose the loveseat right next to it. "Doctor, I must first tell you that this is a very urgent matter. It concerns your psionic shield at the lab in Blüdhaven."

"Yes, I figured. People leave me alone, and I like it that way." L'Oranaise shrugged nonchalantly. "The only time they come to my door is to ask about that damn shield."

So, they weren't the only ones interested in the doctor's work. Kaldur leaned forward, choosing his next words carefully. "We were conducting an experiment in the chamber yesterday, and as we were leaving something happened. One of our friends was left in the chamber, and we could not open the door to let him out." The Atlantean made sure that the doctor made eye contact then. "When it finally opened, our friend was gone. He has been missing since. We would like to know how this could have happened."

"_I don't know if he will tell the truth or not_." It was M'gann, and Kaldur could hear her hesitation through the telepathic link. "_I can read his mind if you think he's lying_."

L'Oranaise raised a thin, graying eyebrow. "Disappeared from the anechoic chamber? And you think my shield did that? Do you even know what psionic technology is used for?"

"_His idea of 'answering what he can' is asking _us_ questions_," came Superboy's unimpressed voice through the link.

"_Be patient_." Kaldur recollected his thoughts, running over Batman's orders from earlier that morning. _Okay. Let's be blunt_. "I think your technology fulfills its purpose as a psychic dampening system. But, it is possible that the technology may have other applications when under the right conditions."

"Such as creating a door to another dimension."

Batman. With a start, Kaldur looked over the doctor's shoulder to see the Dark Knight himself appear from what looked to be a back hallway. Honestly, Kaldur was not surprised that Batman had arrived ahead of them. What was surprising was that Kaldur had not already picked up on the fact that Batman was already lurking about.

L'Oranaise did not turn around, but a heavy sigh shook his frail frame. "It was not the shield. This entire apartment is lined with the technology, and, when the windows are covered, it's enclosed just like the chamber is. I've never seen things like 'doors to another dimension' here."

As Batman shuffled through a stack of files in his hands, Kaldur frowned. He glanced to the windows and above them he could see a coil of glittering wire. _Those must part of the shield. They can unroll like a curtain_. Which only begged a single question… "Why do you need it here?"

There was a weary, haunted look in the doctor's expression as he motioned vaguely to his head. "I've been telepathic all my life, but it took me decades to figure out how to keep stray thoughts of others out of my head." He paused, as if searching for the correct thought, or maybe the right words to convey it. "And I had to find a way to keep _it_ out of my mind."

Silently as ever, Batman had crossed the room, and when l'Oranaise went quiet, he tossed a file onto the coffee table. "_It_ wouldn't have anything to do with this, would it?"

Kaldur caught the doctor's momentary flash of fear before the Atlantean looked to the file. At the bottom of the typed document on top, there was something written in red ink. He felt his jaw tighten. _I hope that is not meant to be literal_.

"_Is that an Earth proverb or something similar?_"

"_No, M'gann, not that I know of…_" Kaldur could not read Batman's expression, though that was to be expected. There was something deeper here, something that suddenly had them one step behind the great detective. _If he is not going to include us in this, why did he ask us to come?_

"That phrase is written on every document, in every journal," Batman growled. "Why?"

"That is why I insisted on building the chamber in that specific place, so that I could have the shield installed there. It extends even beyond the foundation of the laboratory." L'Oranaise's wide, hunted eyes turned to Batman in terror. "It came from that place, and no matter how far I was from Blüdhaven I couldn't get away from it. It was driving me mad. I don't know what is so special about that area, I swear. But, that was where the voices were loudest. That was why I devoted so much time to finishing my research on psionic technology, to box it in that place. Nothing has ever happened there before. No one but me ever realized how evil that place is."

"Hot water," M'gann said in a rush, sitting forward on the couch cushion. "Humans can't sense the rift! That's what it is!" She bit her lip, eyes clamped shut in concentration. "But, l'Oranaise and I can feel it because of our telepathy. I had all of us linked in the chamber, and you guys must have started to sense it through the link!"

Superboy's default frown deepened at the Martian's words, but his expression was more pensive than irritated. "When we were leaving the chamber, I thought I saw something. I don't… I don't know how to explain it."

"_Then simply picture it in your mind so that I can see it_."

A snarl ripped from the clone's throat. "Stop! Stay out of my mind, old man."

"_Superboy, look at me_." Kaldur waited until Superboy finally trained his gaze to his leader before nodding. Really, it looked like he would have to spend more time with Superboy, get him more comfortable with the world around them. The clone was doing well adjusting to the mountain and the team, but otherwise… "_We need as much information from this man as possible. Please, we are doing this to find Robin. He will not harm you. M'gann is here to make sure of it_."

M'gann set a hand on Superboy's arm. "_Right. I'm right here_."

Suddenly, an image appeared in the forefront of Kaldur's mind, and after a moment of confusion he realized that either M'gann or l'Oranaise was relaying Superboy's memory to him. There was the anechoic chamber, next the hall as Superboy exited. Then, the view swiveled to see the wall and then the chamber from the outside where Kaldur could see himself and Robin. _And here I am stepping out, and – What was that?_ For the briefest moment, while Robin was looking at the ceiling, there was a flicker in the image. It was almost as if he had seen-

"Those were people," Batman said when the image was replayed. "Just an echo, a glimpse into that other place."

Kaldur watched Batman closely, though, as always, found no way to read the man's train of thought. _So, if we assume those really were people from another dimension, the dimension where Robin likely is now… We are back at the possibility that he did not go there by choice_. J'onn had explained that the chamber was likely built on an area that was slightly closer to an alternate dimension than the rest of the world, but there had been no cause for it to suddenly cross with that other place. No cause on their side, at least.

"You said you used to hear voices from that place before it was sealed, but that no matter how far you went, you could always hear them." There had to have been a time when it started, right? And what about now? M'gann had not sensed any voices when they were within the chamber. "When did you start hearing those voices?"

"It was nearly nine years ago now, when I was still working in the labs. They were not affiliated with the university at the time, so that _place_ was just an open lot at the time." L'Oranaise pushed the file closer to the Atlantean. "That is the only intelligible phrase I could make out. Everything else was either in a language I am unfamiliar with or complete gibberish. After the chamber was built five years ago, I stopped hearing them. I never went back."

Kaldur rubbed his temples with a sigh. So, it wasn't the shield, the room, or likely anything tangible at all… Just a place, a spot where the dimensions met. This wasn't helping…

"But…" The doctor raised his shoulder in a half shrug. "The worst of it was that I knew those voices, because even though there were many, they were all the same... They all sounded like _me_. That's why I stay here, away from everyone. I don't want anyone to get hurt."

"Did you leave this house at all yesterday?" Batman said, though his voice was suddenly flat, distracted.

"No. Why?"

"Keep it that way until further notice. We'll be in touch." The vigilante looked to the three teenagers and motioned for them to stand. "We have what we need for now."

_And what is that exactly_? Kaldur gave l'Oranaise a suspicious glance as he rose, but the old man merely looked worn out and terribly lonely. "Thank you for your time," the Atlantean said softly, mustering a smile.

For the briefest moment, the doctor's wretched expression lightened. "I will pray that you find your friend. Now, please leave. Quickly. I do not want anything to happen to you." He closed his eyes, his next words said only telepathically. "_Shelter those who bear my company, from the evils of fire and all calamity_."

"_Do not worry about us, doctor_." Kaldur looked to the stacks of documents on the table as Batman swept toward the back hall and Superboy and M'gann headed for the door. The scrawl in red ink almost seemed to glare back at him. It was those same words, written on every page. The same prayer, the same plea.

_Shelter those who bear my company, from the evils of fire and all calamity_…

::…::

_Ninety, ninety-one…_

Cassandra wasn't human. She couldn't be. An hour of sparring, twenty minutes of chasing him across the grounds, another forty doing general exercises, and finally thirty minutes of more sparring. He was fine with rigorous training, relished in it once the endorphins were in the blood, but this was ridiculous. It was like his first year of training with Bruce all over again!

_Crap, I lost count. I was almost at a hundred, so twenty more?_ Dick wrenched his eyes open, spotting Cassandra across the cave near Jason. It's not like she would notice if he didn't go the whole minute and a half… He was already tired, and if felt like any second his arms would give out. _No, just a little longer. Can't let her win. This is so weak, man_.

It wasn't that the training was too long or too difficult, it was all _her_. She was ridiculously fast and it was practically impossible for someone that tiny to be so strong. But, the throbbing in his shoulder proved otherwise. To add insult to injury, Dick had not been able to land a single blow on her. _If she's human, I'm a redhead_.

"Alright, enough with the handstand, kid. Get over here," Jason said.

_Finally_. Dick swung his legs forward and down, leaping from the rings in a sweeping arch. As soon as his feet touched ground, he was already tearing the grips from his hands. _Blegh, I hate these things_. Just chalk was good enough for him. _Besides, it's not like they really do anything_. He raised his left palm to see that a patch of skin about the size of a quarter had been torn away.

The action was obviously seen by Cassandra, because she beckoned for him, a small jar of ointment in hand.

"It's just a rip, nothing big," Dick said as he approached the two. He had had much worse, and they were just an expected risk for a gymnast, especially on the rings. _And stupid grips are supposed to help? Whatever_.

Cassandra placed the ointment in Dick's other hand. "All wounds should be tended to, even if they are small."

As Batman often stressed. However, this was different… People like them, with an almost militant view toward training, wouldn't understand. Dick looked to the ointment, unimpressed. "I'll just tape it up."

"Leave him," Jason said, giving Cassandra a thwack on the shoulder. "It's not that big a deal."

"Go ahead and cool down," Cassandra said, though she was no longer smiling. "I need to go."

"Yeah, go clean up the city in my place, Cass. Thatta girl." Jason grinned even as his sister disappeared into a remote corner of the cave. "God, I wish I had that kind of energy."

_Even he admires her_. Dick bent and laid his palms flat on the ground, relieved that he could finally stretch and be done with this training session from hell. "You sound like you're in a better mood. Do I have to worry about you turning on me again?"

Jason didn't answer immediately. "Everybody loves Richard," he said. Not even Megan, if she were here, would miss the obvious sarcasm in his voice.

Dick straightened and crossed an arm behind his head, tugging his elbow with his other hand. "I'm not Richard."

Two pairs of blue eyes went to the discarded ointment jar. "Yeah, you kinda are. You don't like doctoring up rips because it was a thing for you circus freaks to brag about who had the worst one."

The thirteen-year-old let his arms drop to his sides, feeling his jaw clench unbidden. He hadn't told anyone that, not even Bruce or Alfred. That was… private. "It wasn't bragging, it was just…" Well, fine, it kind of was, though even in his later years at Haley's, he had never really had any impressive palm injuries to show off. Even this one was pitiful compared to some of the bloody messes he had seen on the hands of the older, more experienced acrobats. "Richard told you that."

"Obviously."

So, those memories, those experiences… They were his alone, and yet there was someone here with those same ones? _I didn't think of it like that. How much of _my_ life has this Richard lived?_ Dick could have sworn his stomach just did a quadruple somersault.

Jason was too busy concentrating on finding a good position to settle his leg on the bed to notice Dick's discomfort, but the older boy sighed. "Maybe you're not so bad. Just get out of here. I might change my mind if you stick around too long."

Dick nodded. "Just as long as you listen to Alfred and get some rest." He gave a short wave before turning away.

"Finish stretching first."

So, Cassandra was still lurking about. Dick planted his hands on his hips as he scanned the shadows for the older teenager. "I'll do it upstairs."

"Don't forget. Richard wants to hold the gauntlet tomorrow night, before Oliver and Wally leave Gotham." Cassandra melted out of the darkness form behind the glass suit cases. "You want to be at your best."

Dick gave a lazy half salute. "Yeah, whatever. Will do, boss lady." With that, he headed for the stairs. _And I thought I was tired earlier_… The boy grinned slightly as he heard the two siblings talking again, their voices considerably warmer than when either had spoken to him. As much as he wanted to get home, to see his friends and teammates again, he had to admit… The thought of having siblings was a good one. _Maybe someday_.

And, boy, his head was hurting like crazy. That was sudden… Dick shook his head, but the ache was persistent. _Great, what else is going to go wrong today?_

::…::

Superboy and M'gann were watching him discreetly, obviously as much at a loss as he was. Kaldur purposefully kept his attention elsewhere to avoid their expectant gazes. If only Batman had not left them here at the mountain. If only their "commander" had bothered to clue them in on the information he had gathered from l'Oranaise before hurrying off to find J'onn. If only Kaldur knew what to do… Very rarely did he feel so very useless.

"Now what do we do?" M'gann ventured eventually. She twiddled absently with a stray strand of hair, and from the way she all but skipped from foot to foot, Kaldur could tell she was as anxious as he was. "L'Oranaise was telling the truth the whole time, but I don't understand how any of that helped us."

"You said you could sense something in that other dimension yesterday." Superboy shrugged. "Maybe we should go back and try again now that you know what you're looking for."

"It doesn't work like that. I tried for hours after that time, but I didn't sense that person again."

And J'onn had had no more luck, either. Maybe telepathy was not the correct way to approach this. Kaldur leaned against the back of the currently vacant couch, brows kitting together in thought. Or, wait. Maybe it was. "What if you were in the chamber and tried to talk to l'Oranaise?"

M'gann blinked, confused before her eyes lit up. "Hello, Megan! He said that the voices he could hear were his own! If I could locate anyone in that dimension, it should be the doctor!"

"How would he be able to help us even if you could reach him?" Superboy said, his monotone skepticism instantly deflating the Martian's excitement. "He wasn't very helpful when we were standing right in front of him."

Yet another valid point, but at the moment it was their most promising course of action. "We already know that it is likely a version of l'Oranaise has been able to speak from that dimension to this one. It is a start." Not a very strong one, but that was better than nothing at this point. Then, of course, there was a slim chance that they were looking at this situation in the completely wrong way. At the moment, their theory of an alternate dimension was based purely off of educated guesswork on the Martians' part. Kaldur drew in a deep breath and looked to his two friends. "Wally and Artemis will be here tomorrow. We can all go to Blüdhaven together when they arrive. For now, I think we should do a little research on what l'Oranaise has told us…"

* * *

><p><strong>AN:<strong>  
>Coming up, Dick gets to run the gauntlet (after getting to know Cass a bit more), KF and Artemis find out the rest of the team has been doing stuff without them, and Megan makes a very important discovery. Also, for all my fellow Catholics out there, you can go ahead and laugh at me, by the way. xD AND, yet again there is no word of the day, but there is one for the next chapter!<p>

In "Downtime", Dick was wearing wrist bands but not grips while on the rings, but he's obviously at a skill level where I cringe at the thought of not having them. Bruce is practical. If there is a device made specifically to reduce the chance of injury, I think he would encourage its use. I see this happening when Dick is nine or ten:

Dick: Psh. It barely even hurts.  
>Bruce: Wear the grips.<br>Dick: They don't usually bleed this much.  
>Bruce: WEAR THE GRIPS.<p> 


End file.
